First thing's first, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the process of ageing. More specifically, gray hair should not be looked down upon or feared—it should instead be seen as a sign of maturity and wisdom. But if that's not the look you are going for (which is also totally fine), then you might want to pay attention to the following...
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The less the stress, the less the gray!
According to a new study conducted by researchers from Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, reducing your stress levels can significantly reverse gray hairs! That's right, although it was common knowledge that too much stress could increase your chances of having your hair turn gray, new research has now proved the opposite.
To carry out the study, researchers analysed the graying hairs of 14 volunteers—seven of which were men and the other women—and looked at each individual's level of stress in comparison. Interestingly, what they found was that hair color corresponded to periods of stress examining hair growth like tree rings.
Going on vacation could replace hair dye
Moments in which respondents recorded feeling higher levels of stress directly affected the color on individual strands of their hair; the more stressed they felt, the grayer their hair got and the reverse was also found to be true. Dr. Martin Picard, an associate professor of behavioral medicine, explains that:
There was one individual who went on vacation, and five hairs on that person's head reverted back to dark during the vacation, synchronized in time. Just as the rings in a tree trunk hold information about past decades in the life of a tree, our hair contains information about our biological history.
In middle age, when the hair is near that threshold because of biological age and other factors, stress will push it over the threshold and it transitions to gray.
And added:
But we don't think that reducing stress in a 70-year-old who's been gray for years will darken their hair, or increasing stress in a 10-year-old will be enough to tip their hair over the gray threshold.