The truth about beauty sleep
We all know how important sleep is and its incredible benefits for the body, but the truth is that most of us don’t get the recommended hours of 8-9 hours of sleep every night. There can be many mornings where we may wake up feeling dry, puffy, dull and increased dark circles from one or a few rough nights sleep, which is why sleep is also so essential for your skin.
When we sleep, our skin goes through several stages to prepare for the next day:
- During the first few hours of sleep, your skin produces a large amount of a growth hormone called Somatotropin which repairs damage and regenerates cells – which can work up to 3 times faster than during the day!
- Your Melatonin levels (the sleep hormone that is responsible for regulating sleep) increases over the next few hours which fights against environmental damage and ageing using its antioxidant properties
- Collagen proteins are stimulated during the final stage of sleep (also known as REM) which helps to smooth skin, minimise lines and wrinkles and repairs scarring.
As well as these automatic skin rejuvenation benefits, your skin also balances your cortisol levels (the stress hormone) which helps reduce inflammation whilst you sleep. A lack of sleep increases cortisol levels, putting your skin in an inflammatory state, which is when you can wake up looking sullen and puffy.
When it comes to skincare and sleep, your skin can be more receptive towards higher stimulating products such as acids and higher forms of vitamin A (e.g retinol) in the evening. These are recommended to apply in the evening due to the UV rays breaking down the actives which can cause irritation and sensitivity – plus your skin will respond better to these ingredients whilst you’re sleeping!
Here are a few tips to ensure you get a better nights sleep for your skin and body:
Drink plenty of water before bed – this will help to flush out toxins and prevent your skin from losing too much moisture whilst you sleep
Avoid blue light from TV’s, phones and tablets to avoid it keeping you awake – think of it like a caffeine shot!
Elevate your pillow to reduce water retention and puffiness
Wear ear plugs and/or an eye mask to block out noise and light – these can be common problems if you live in busy areas
Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening
Implement a wind-down bedtime routine that you look forward to (e.g shower/bath, skincare routine, hot decaffeinated drink, read a book)
Use a sleep spray on your clothes/bedding to help your body relax
Listen to a meditation app on Youtube, Calm or Headspace to help relax your mind
Blog written by Charlee, find out more about our Assistant Manager here