Can Stress Cause My Hair to Fall Out?

Most of us have experienced stressful seasons when it feels like everything is coming undone — including our hair. It’s not uncommon to notice more strands in the shower drain or on your hairbrush after a particularly difficult period. But can stress actually cause your hair to fall out?

Let’s look at how stress can impact the natural hair growth cycle and how to tell if your hair loss might be stress-related or a sign of another health concern.

The Hair Growth Cycle: Understanding What’s Normal

Hair growth happens in a repeating cycle with three main phases:

1. Anagen Phase (Growth Phase)

This is the active growth period, which typically lasts 2–7 years. Around 85–90% of the hair on your head is in this phase at any given time. During anagen, your hair follicle produces new cells, and your hair lengthens continuously.

2. Catagen Phase (Transition Phase)

This short, two- to three-week phase marks the end of active growth. The hair follicle begins to shrink and detach from the blood supply, preparing for the resting stage.

3. Telogen Phase (Resting and Shedding Phase)

In this phase, which lasts about 2–4 months, hair no longer grows but stays in place until it eventually sheds. Roughly 10–15% of your hair is in this stage at any time. After shedding, the follicle re-enters the anagen phase and starts producing new hair.

This cycle continues throughout your life. It’s normal to shed about 50–100 hairs per day. But when stress disrupts the balance, more hair follicles can shift into the telogen (resting) phase at once—leading to noticeable shedding.

It’s also important to remember that hair loss usually feels more dramatic to the person experiencing it than it appears to anyone else. When you’re the one washing, brushing, or styling your hair, you notice every strand that falls out and every change in texture or thickness. But to others, these small differences are rarely visible. Most people won’t see any thinning or patchiness, even if your hair feels noticeably lighter to you. Reminding yourself of this can help ease some of the anxiety that often accompanies stress-related shedding and allow you to focus on calming your nervous system instead of monitoring your hair.

How Stress Triggers Hair Loss

Stress-related hair loss is often linked to a condition called telogen effluvium. It doesn’t cause permanent damage to the follicles, but it can make it seem like your hair is thinning rapidly.

What Happens in Telogen Effluvium:

After a stressful event such as illness, surgery, loss, relationship distress, or major life changes the body’s resources shift toward essential systems and away from nonessential functions like hair growth. This sudden stress can push a large number of hair follicles from the growth (anagen) phase into the resting (telogen) phase.

The result? Two to three months later, those resting hairs begin to shed all at once. You might notice more hair coming out when you brush or wash it, or you may see a thinner ponytail. The shedding usually slows down once the stress resolves, though regrowth can take several months.

The event doesn't have to be negative to be considered stressful on the body. Preparing for a wedding, moving houses, or a new baby can all trigger the stress response in the body if you are sleeping less or otherwise using up your body's resources at a faster rate than normal.

Types of Stress-Related Hair Loss

In addition to telogen effluvium, stress can also play a role in:

• Trichotillomania – the urge to pull out your own hair as a way of coping with anxiety or emotional distress.

• Alopecia areata – an autoimmune condition that can be triggered by severe stress, leading the immune system to attack hair follicles, causing patchy hair loss.

How to Know if Hair Loss Is Stress-Related

If you’ve experienced significant stress or emotional upheaval in the past few months and now notice excessive shedding, it may be stress-related. Here are some signs that point toward telogen effluvium rather than another cause:

✅ The shedding started 2–3 months after a major stressor.

✅ Hair falls out diffusely (from all over the scalp), not in patches, and occurs somewhat quickly.

✅ There’s no redness, scaling, or pain on your scalp.

✅ You don’t have other symptoms like fatigue, weight changes, or brittle nails that might suggest a hormonal or nutritional issue.

Stress-related hair loss is usually temporary. Once your stress levels stabilize, your hair cycle can return to normal over time.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While stress can definitely contribute to hair loss, it’s important not to assume it’s the only factor. Hair loss can also be linked to:

• Thyroid disorders

• Iron deficiency or anemia

• Hormonal changes (postpartum, menopause, or birth control)

• Male pattern baldness

• Autoimmune conditions

• Certain medications

• Chronic illnesses or nutritional deficiencies

• Other medical conditions

If your hair loss is sudden, severe, accompanied by bald patches, or associated with other physical symptoms, talk with your primary care provider or a dermatologist. They can run lab tests to check for underlying medical conditions.

The good news is that hair often grows back once the underlying stress is managed.

Caring for Yourself During Stress-Related Hair Loss

Hair loss connected to stress can feel discouraging, especially when it seems like your body is reflecting your emotional strain. But this is also an opportunity to slow down, nurture your body, and rebuild balance.

1. Calm Your Nervous System

Stress-related hair loss often improves when your body feels safe again. Try practices that help regulate your stress response, such as:

• Focus on breathing (deep breathing or guided relaxation - or even short exercises such as box breathing or long exhalations)

• Gentle movement such as yoga, stretching, or walking outdoors

• Meditation, prayer, or grounding techniques to center your thoughts

• Journaling about worries to reduce rumination

Even ten minutes a day can help your body shift from “fight or flight” into a calmer, more restorative state.

2. Support Your Body From the Inside Out

Nourish yourself with whole foods that supply the nutrients hair needs to grow. Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet with adequate protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins A, D, and B12. Deprivation diets or chronic under-eating can worsen shedding. Focus on:

• Protein (lean meats, eggs, legumes) for strong hair structure

• Iron and zinc for follicle health

• B vitamins and vitamin D for growth support

• Healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, fish) for scalp hydration

3. Be Gentle With Your Hair

Treat your hair as tenderly as you treat your emotions during stressful times.

• Avoid tight ponytails, braids, or harsh treatments.

• Limit heat styling and chemical processing.

• Use a soft brush and gentle shampoo. Avoid vigorous towel drying.

• Try a silk pillowcase or loose hairstyles to reduce breakage.

4. Be Patient With the Process

Hair growth takes time. You may not see visible changes for several months, but once the stressor is resolved, the follicles usually recover naturally. You will start to see short hairs peeking out of your hairstyle, and eventually they will grow and blend in. Hair grows an average of one-half inch per month, which adds up to around 6 inches a year. Factors that influence the rate of growth include genetics, age (hair grows fastest between the ages of 15 and 30, and the growth rate slows down as you get older), hormones, and nutrition. Taking care of your body with adequate sleep and a healthy diet will support healthy hair growth.

5.Practice Self-Compassion

Speak to yourself kindly and release self-criticism. It’s easy to become self-critical when you notice your hair thinning or shedding more than usual. You might find yourself checking the mirror, comparing photos, or worrying about what others will think. But hair loss during stress is simply your body’s way of signaling that it needs care. Speak gently to yourself and remind yourself, “My body is doing its best to recover. This is temporary.” When you approach your experience with compassion rather than criticism, you reduce stress hormones and support your body’s healing process.

You can also use this time to practice deeper acceptance. Instead of judging your appearance, focus on gratitude for the ways your body continues to serve you every day. Engaging in small acts of nurture—massaging your scalp, lighting a candle before bed, praying or meditating—can help you reconnect with a sense of peace and appreciation for your body.

6. Reach Out for Support

If you’re struggling to manage stress or notice ongoing anxiety, grief, or burnout, talking with a therapist can help. Therapy provides a safe space to process emotional strain, develop healthier coping tools, and reduce the stress that impacts your body.

Final Thoughts

Yes, stress can cause hair to fall out, but the loss is often temporary. The body and mind are deeply connected, and hair shedding can sometimes be one of the ways our body signals it’s under strain.

If you’re going through a stressful season, take your hair loss as an invitation to slow down and care for yourself. With time, support, and balance, your hair (and your wellbeing) can grow stronger again.