Good News...sleep is free

But too little sleep can mess with your skin

We do so much to make our skin look great in the morning. But what if one of the biggest secrets to better skin was as simple as getting enough sleep, the aged old beauty rest. After all, sleep is when some of the most important internal — and epidermal — recovery takes place!

How sleep affects your skin

You can almost immediately tell that getting a poor night of sleep doesn’t do woke-up-like-this wonders for your face. Studies show that two days of sleep restriction negatively affected participant’s perceived attractiveness and health. During sleep, your skin’s blood flow increases, and the organ rebuilds its collagen and repairs damage from UV exposure, reducing wrinkles and age spots.

Not catching enough ZZZZZ's, here’s how it can affect you:

You deprive your brain, body, and skin of nourishment. Sleep is food for your brain, body, and skin, and if you don't get enough, you deprive each of its nourishment. During the night, your body works to remove dead blood cells and dead brain cells, clearing the pathway for new blood and brain cells to replace old ones. Your brain gets rid of 60 percent more toxins when you get the proper amount of sleep, helping you feel more refreshed, think more clearly, and gives your skin that glowing look.

Your skin becomes imbalanced, which leads to a dehydrated complexion, redness, and breakouts. Lack of sleep affects the moisture levels in your skin, your skin's pH levels drop, causing your skin to not be able to produce the moisture it needs, so it makes it look drier, less youthful and has less of a glow.

You develop dark circles. Getting enough sleep keeps everything operating how it should and will help reduce the blue or purple shadow under your eyes. 

You have a drink within 90 minutes of falling asleep and never enter the cell regenerating period in REM sleep. There are four different stages of sleep: Stages one and two, which are when you're in between being awake and being asleep, and stages three and four, which are when rapid eye movement (REM) occurs and cell regeneration happens. Alcohol is referred to as a REM sleep inhibitor, because consuming as little as two servings within 90 minutes of your bedtime will prevent your system from functioning optimally the next day — and jump-starts the domino effect of crepe-y looking skin, a sallow complexion, and dry skin.

Your devices keep you up and make you look tired in the a.m. It's hard to deny a good Instagram session or reading a book on your tablet before bed but scrolling through your glowing device before you count sheep is doing more harm to your skin than you think. Even if you dim the brightness on your device, you're still being exposed to blue daylight spectrum light, which is the same colour as the sun. It's stimulating and energizing to your system because your circadian rhythm is right behind your eyeball, which reads the blue light and impacts your melatonin levels, keeping you awake.

In general, AVOID technology 90 minutes before you go to bed, if  you have to look at your phone or iPad at night, download f.lux, it’s a free app that warms up your computer display at night, giving off red light waves instead of blue, which is relaxing and will help you fall asleep easier.

Your sheets are wreaking havoc on your skin. Low thread count and rough to the touch, they could be wrecking your complexion. Not-so-soft fabrics don't provide the slip your skin needs to move about freely over the pillow as you toss and turn throughout the night, and can pull the skin slightly, contributing to fine lines and wrinkles over time.

You can get under-eye bags. If you lie on your stomach, liquid can pool in the trough of your under-eye throughout the night and cause puffiness that you won't want to wake up to. Try to train yourself to sleep on your back, if you prefer to sleep on your side, get a skin-friendly pillow. A satin or silk pillow minimizes skin irritation and compression while copper-oxide pillowcases may reduce crow’s-feet and other fine lines.

Stress + no sleep = stressed out skin. Your skin is the window to what's going on in your body internally, so if you're not sleeping and your system isn't functioning properly, you're going to notice the aftermath on your face.

If you're feeling stressed, research recommends exercising. Working out in general releases endorphins that help release stress, but exercising during the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. specifically — sets you up for a good night's sleep because it not only leaves you less stressed, you'll be even more tired and ready for bed.

If you don't get the chance to go to the gym, use your skin care routine as your bedtime ritual, breathing deeply as you remove your makeup and apply a calming night cream. 

Building good sleep habits

The best place to start for your skin — and for your overall health — is to get the recommended amount of sleep. We all have off days, but you should average seven to nine hours of sleep. Try adopting some of these practices to help you sleep better and longer:

Schedule your sleep: Make an effort to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day of the week, including weekends. Doing this establishes a regular sleep-wake cycle. It may help you adopt the habit of doing the same things each night before bed, such as taking a warm bath or reading. 

Avoid stimulants: Caffeine, chocolate, and nicotine can keep you awake past your bedtime. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially, but its effect eventually may disrupt your rest later in the night. Stay away from stimulants at least four hours before sleep.

Make your bed comfy: A number of new mattresses on the market are aimed at increasing comfort, including those that have “cooling” effects to keep a person from getting too warm while they sleep. Memory-foam mattresses conform to a person’s body, providing extra shape and support. Use room-darkening shades, earplugs, or other tools that will help create a restful environment. 

Exercise regularly: Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep faster at night. Exercise also helps to promote deeper, more restful sleep. Just make sure you don't exercise too close to bedtime, since this can leave you too energized to sleep.

Relieve stress during the day: Try adopting some stress-reducing techniques before bed. Keep a journal by your bedside to write down what's bothering you. Start practicing yoga, learn to meditate, get regular massages, or take long walks. 

Getting enough quality sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle, boosting your immune system, managing weight loss, and helping you retain memory. Whether it’s meditation or getting a new mattress, take simple step, it’s never too late for good sleep practice.