My hair fell out from stress.

Stress and hair loss: my story, and where yoga for anger management fits

When I was at high school, two large chunks of my hair thinned and then fell out. The cause, as far as I could tell, was stress: it was final year exams. I told nobody, and for a very long time I hid two bald patches under my long auburn hair. This is my story, what is known about stress and hair loss, and where yoga fits. Yoga is not a hair treatment. What it offers is a way to ease stress, including the short-tempered, frustrated kind that often comes with it, and that is where yoga for anger management comes in.

Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree. This article sits in our relaxation, stress and sleep notes.

This note in short form

• My story: exam stress, two bald patches, and hair that grew back white.
• What is known: stress, illness and other triggers can make hair shed, and it often grows back.
• See a doctor: hair loss has many causes, and only a doctor can tell you yours.
• Where yoga fits: as a way to ease stress, not as a hair treatment.
• Stress and temper: gentle practice gives many students a pause before they react.
• Next step: a slow, gentle class in the studio in Darwin, or LIVE online.

What happened when my hair fell out?

With my Irish background, I had long, auburn hair, and it was one of my best features. Then, in my final year at school, two large chunks thinned and fell out. The stress was final year exams.

It was one more thing that I couldn’t tell Mum!

I was so embarrassed about the hair loss that I told nobody, not even my mother. It frightened me. I had no idea what caused it, how far it would spread, or how long it would last. For an awfully long time, under my long hair, I had these bald patches on each side of my head.

Even worse, when the hair finally grew back, it was white. It never darkened. Many decades later, the white patches are still visible on each side of the back of my head. These days I have enough grey hair elsewhere that they are camouflaged. Once I was living away from home, I used hair colour to hide the long white streaks.

Whenever I went to a hairdresser, they knew immediately what the patches were. I guess they see it regularly. Even now, they still always notice. Years later, a hairdresser told me it is called alopecia areata, or alopecia for short. That is what I was told, and I am not a doctor. Only a doctor can tell you what is behind your own hair loss.

Can stress cause hair loss?

Yes, it can be one trigger among several. DermNet, a skin information service from New Zealand, lists psychological stress among the triggers for a common kind of shedding called telogen effluvium (hair shedding some weeks after a stress or illness). Other triggers include illness with a fever, surgery, childbirth, weight loss or poor nutrition, some medicines and thyroid problems.

DermNet says shedding usually begins two to four months after the trigger, and settles over six to nine months in most cases. Hair usually regrows once the trigger is gone, although recovery is incomplete in some people. You can read more on its page about telogen effluvium.

My own hair loss was in patches, which is not the same pattern. The point is that stress, a big life change and other triggers often arrive together, as they did for me before my exams. The exact causes are not fully understood, and they differ from person to person.

I also notice quite a number of menopausal women who have some degree of thinner hair. Even in my mother’s case, I think it was carefully disguised by the type of hair styling that was fashionable at the time.

What should I do if my hair is falling out?

See your doctor. Hair loss can have many causes, including thyroid problems and low iron, which a doctor can check with a simple test. See a doctor promptly if the loss is sudden or patchy, if your scalp is painful, red or scaly, or if you are worried. It can also be upsetting, and that deserves support too.

Yoga works alongside medical care, not instead of it. Talk to your yoga teacher, and to your doctor if you wish, about what suits you.

Where does yoga fit in?

I do not claim yoga grows hair. What yoga offers is a systematic way to ease stress, which is one of the things that can sit behind hair loss. Some students tell us that regular practice, especially restorative yoga, helps them let go of stress and sleep better. See also our notes on how to calm your nervous system and yoga for sleep.

The longer I have done yoga, the more I have learnt how to feel the power of easy, relaxing positions that drain the stress from my body and mind.

A male student once told me that using yoga postures to relax was a learnt skill. It took regular restorative practice. The more relaxing poses he did, the more he found he could let go and feel the stress ooze out of him, and he said it helped him sleep better. That is one student’s experience, not a trial.

In standing and upside down poses you have to focus, or you fall over. That is a kind of mindful absorption that many students enjoy. Gentle poses, with props, show how anyone can start. You do not need to be flexible to begin. Slower classes assume that people will be stiff, unfit and not strong at first.

What about stress, temper and yoga for anger management?

People under stress often feel short-tempered or frustrated as well. Yoga for anger management is not about hiding or bottling up a feeling. In our experience, regular practice gives many students a longer pause between feeling something and reacting to it. Slow breathing and supported poses give the body a chance to settle first.

That is a student experience, not a treatment. If anger or frustration is getting in the way of your life, or you are worried about your temper or anyone’s safety, please speak to your doctor or a counsellor. For more on yoga and anger, see our guide on does yoga help with anger, and one student’s story about anger.

Calming classes for people who are stiff

At Flametree we teach a number of slower classes that suit people who are stiff, or who simply want to calm down. These include gentle and restorative yoga, in the studio in Darwin and LIVE online. You do not have to be flexible to start or restart yoga. See also our menopause notes if hormonal change is part of your story.

Practise this at Flametree

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in the studio at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin, and LIVE online.

• New to Flametree? Your first class is free. In the studio, just come along. Online, go to our online class list, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.
• Beginners: new students, and anyone who has been away three months or more, can get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both. See the beginner half price pass.
• Already practising yoga? The same half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, for new students and for anyone away three months or more, is also available as the non-beginner half price pass.
• See every class time, including online classes, on the timetable.

Can’t make a class? Practise at home with our video courses.

Yoga for anger management and stress: frequently asked questions

Can stress cause hair loss?

It can be one trigger. DermNet lists psychological stress among the triggers of telogen effluvium, a common kind of shedding that usually starts two to four months after the trigger. Hair usually regrows once the trigger has gone. Only a doctor can tell you the cause of your own hair loss.

Will my hair grow back after stress hair loss?

Often it does. DermNet says hair usually regrows once the trigger is removed, and shedding settles over six to nine months in most cases, though recovery is incomplete in some people. In my own case it grew back white and stayed that way. See your doctor.

Can yoga help with hair loss?

We do not claim yoga treats or grows hair. Yoga can help you ease stress, which can be one of the things behind hair loss. Hair loss should be checked by a doctor, because it has many causes.

When should I see a doctor about hair loss?

See a doctor if the loss is sudden or patchy, if your scalp is painful, red or scaly, or if you are worried. A doctor can also check things like thyroid function and iron levels.

Can yoga help with anger and frustration?

In our experience, regular practice gives many students a longer pause before they react, and slow breathing and supported poses help the body settle. It is not a treatment. If anger is getting in the way of your life, speak to your doctor or a counsellor.

What kind of yoga is best for stress?

Slow, supported practice is a good place to begin. Restorative yoga, gentle classes and slow breathing are the kinds many of our students find calming. Tell your teacher about your health before you start.

Do I need to be flexible to do yoga for stress?

No. Slower classes assume that people will be stiff, unfit and not strong at first, and props bring the pose to you.

Where can I do yoga for stress and anger management in Darwin?

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in Darwin, at Woolner and Coolalinga, and LIVE online. Your first class is free if you are new to Flametree (in the studio, if you have lived in the NT for three months or more; online, anyone new): in the studio you just come along, and online you click the class time you want and we email you the link to join. The half price 10 class pass is for newcomers and for students who have been away three months or more.

Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin and live online. This article is general information and not medical advice. Hair loss has many causes, and you should see a doctor about it. Source: DermNet NZ, Telogen effluvium (dermnetnz.org). The hair loss story is the author’s own experience.