The Power Of Beauty Sleep

Getting your beauty sleep is no joke. Seriously, it’s a real thing! Did you know that a good night’s sleep can help us to maintain our skin health by controlling our stress hormone levels? Naturally our body contains a stress hormone by the name of cortisol. The less sleep we have, the more cortisol is produced, which elevates our minds stressfulness and creates inflammation in the body, which can damage the quality of our skin. 

"Poor sleep can lead to increased stress hormones in the body that increase the severity of inflammatory skin conditions such as acne or psoriasis,” explains Jessica Krant, MD, MPH, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and founder of Art of Dermatology in New York. This can result in increased itching, which can disrupt sleep. As the vicious cycle continues, skin conditions and sleep quality can increasingly worsen together. In contrast, skin conditions and sleep quality can also improve together. Getting a good night's sleep will help to clear up skin, which allows sleep to improve and, in turn, will improve skin health."

Not getting enough sleep worsens skin conditions such as acne, and skin related allergic reactions. Increased inflammatory cells in the body lead to an increase in the breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid which are molecules in the skin which help it to glow. As well as this, the increased inflammation throws off the body’s ability to regulate the immune system, which can lead to getting sick more often.

While we sleep, the body’s hydration rebalances, so skin is able to recover moisture. Not enough sleep leads to poor water balance leading to puffy eyes, wrinkles, and under eye circles. During deep sleep, damaged cells are repaired. Without these deep phases of sleep, cells won’t be repaired, which will increase visible signs of ageing.

As well as this, the skin’s blood flow increases while we snooze,

Sleep also help with weight management, which is good for your skin. Sleep makes you feel less hungry and more relaxed, whereas, sleep deprivation leads to excess snacking and increased calorie consumption.

According to sleep specialist Michael Breus, getting fewer than 6 hours of sleep could seriously be effecting your skin. He suggests that you should start by adding 1-3 hours of sleep to your routine for 3 weeks to start noticing a difference.

Here are some tips to help get a better night’s sleep: Don’t eat too much too late in the day Drink lots of water throughout the day but not late at night Sleep under a warm blanket in a cool, dark, quite room. Keep electronics out of the bedroom – the lights and vibrations can cause distraction and keep the mind too active while we try to sleep. This will lead to a restless night. Use breathable cotton sheets and wash them regularly so that they don’t collect dust mites and bacteria. Use laundry detergents which don’t have strong scents to them as this can distract the mind as we sleep, as well as cause skin irritation.