Stress can turn your hair gray by messing with nerve signals in your hair follicles, which damages the cells that give hair its color — and once they're gone, the graying is permanent.

Going gray might happen because the stem cells that keep your hair colored aren't working properly as you age.

Going gray might happen because the stem cells that give rise to hair color cells get damaged over time, not because the color-making cells themselves stop working. Keeping these stem cells healthy could be key to keeping your hair colored as you age.

Hair turns gray too early for a few different reasons, like long-term stress killing off pigment cells, not getting enough certain vitamins, and natural wear-and-tear from getting older. Basically, it's not just one thing causing it, but a mix of stress, diet, and aging.

Your hair color comes from cells in your hair roots, and as you age, those cells slow down — that's why hair turns gray. But new research says things like stress might also play a role.

Long-term stress can put the pigment-producing cells in your hair follicles to sleep, making your hair turn gray faster than usual. However, if you manage or reduce your stress, this graying process can stop or even reverse.