Beauty sleep is not only limited to fairy tales and princesses. There is a lot more truth behind it than you may think. Studies have shown that sleep is vital for supporting the health of your skin and lowering the risk of premature aging. Learn what role sleep plays in maintaining our skin and what it can do to make your more beautiful and healthier.
Can a Lack of Sleep Affect Your Skin?
Sleep is essential for healthy physical and mental functioning. It’s imperative for every function in your body, therefore, lack of sleep will negatively affect your skin. Depending on how much sleep you get per night, your immunity and production of certain hormones may be affected and all of this may have an impact on your skin. The first signs your skin is affected by sleep deprivation are dark circles under eyes (and generally skin that’s more prone to dark circles), blemishes and breakouts, and premature aging.
How Does Sleep Benefit Our Skin?
Sleep can detox your skin, help you get rid of wrinkles, and prevent bacterial infections. During sleep, your blood flow to the skin is increased and microcirculation is improved. This is important because more nutrients are able to go in, and more toxins can be removed. When this process is interrupted, your skin will never be able to get rid of impurities as efficiently, and won’t receive all the nutrients it requires.
When it comes to getting rid of wrinkles, sleep is vital for the production of collagen that is essential for preventing premature aging. Sleep deprivation can restrict the process of collagen production and also impact your hormones which may contribute to faster skin aging. For example, sleep deprivation increases the creation of a stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol can suppress DHEA that is also known as the youth hormone, and cause premature aging. Cortisol can also increase the development of acne.
Lastly, when it comes to preventing bacterial infections, sleep is vital for optimum functioning of your immune system. By getting proper sleep, your immune system will be able to fight any viral infections and diseases successfully. Lack of sleep can cause your immune system can become sluggish which makes you more vulnerable to infections such as the cold or flu. It also makes your skin more susceptible to bacteria.
How Can You Sleep for a More Beautiful Skin?
Easiest ways to improve your sleep and have more beautiful skin is to get rid of all electronics before bed, get a quality mattress, cleanse and moisturize your skin, hydrate and eat healthier.
Get Rid of the Electronics Before Bed
If you want to make sure you sleep the entire night without any disruptions, ditch all electronics out of your bedroom. Also, avoid watching TV, playing video games or using your phone1 or 2 hours before bedtime. Although it’s very tempting to Netflix and chill before bedtime, or send one last post, these devices will affect your body’s production of melatonin, stimulate your mind and cause you to feel more awake at night. Instead of using your phone or computer, try to relax by reading a book.
Get a Quality Mattress
If your mattress is more than seven years old, it’s time to change it. For optimum sleep, you should get a quality mattress that is comfortable and provide proper back support. Since it may be hard to choose the right model, we recommend consulting one of the mattress buying guides available online.
Cleanse and Moisturize
Never go to bed with your make up still on. To allow your skin to breath, you have to use a natural cleanser and hydrate your skin with an organic moisturizer.
Hydrate and Eat Healthier
Lastly, you also must make sure you eat healthy and drink lots of fluid. Drinking plenty of water will help your body to flush out toxins and keep your skin hydrated throughout the night. Avoid refined sugars and processed foods not only if you want to have healthier skin, but also to sleep better.
