Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for optimal health and cognitive function. When you don’t get enough sleep, you may feel drowsy during the day and have a harder time with focus and concentration. More than just making you sleepy during the day, however, poor sleep can affect your physical health and wellness – it can even affect your skin.
While getting a good night’s sleep may seem like an impossible task, it’s important to prioritize sleep. Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep decreases your risk for obesity, high blood pressure, dementia, depression, and more. Read on to learn how sleep affects your skin and how to get a better night’s sleep.
How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Skin
When you wake up after a night of tossing and turning, you can see the effects of sleep deprivation on your face: dark circles, puffiness, and dull skin tone. Not only are your body and brain tired, but so is your skin. Sleep is when you get the rest you need, but your body is anything but inactive. It’s when your brain consolidates memory, and your body restores and repairs itself from the damage of the day.
Even one night of poor sleep can lead to detrimental effects for your skin, including:
- Swelling around the eyes
- Dull skin tone
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Increased appearance of fine lines
- Dry, sagging skin
- Increased risk for breakouts
In addition to leaving you looking tired, sleep deprivation can affect your cognitive function. When you’re tired, you may be more prone to mood swings, impulsive behavior, anxiety, and depression. You may even fall asleep for a few seconds at a time without realizing it, putting you at risk for a serious accident. Sleep deprivation can also affect your immune system, digestion, and cardiovascular system.
The Benefits of Beauty Sleep
You’ve undoubtedly heard the term “beauty sleep” but may be under the impression that it’s nothing more than a cliché. In reality, however, there is a link between skin health. You can, in fact, sleep your skin younger! Perhaps not literally, but research shows the skin-supporting benefits of getting a good night’s sleep. Here are a few you should know:
- Blood flow increases to the epidermis during sleep which may help support collagen production and skin cell turnover to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Poor sleep can lead to the development of dark circles and puffiness around the eyes, but healthy sleep can help you wake with brighter eyes and a more even skin tone.
- Getting enough sleep helps keep your hormones in balance which may reduce issues with hormonal acne and stress-related breakouts.
- Just a few consecutive nights of quality sleep can improve your skin’s ability to heal and protect itself from environmental stressors like weather, pollution, and sun damage.
Your need for sleep varies throughout the course of your life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average adult aged 18 to 60 years needs at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Just one night of poor sleep can lead to detrimental effects on your body, mind, and skin.
7 Simple Tips to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
If you struggle to sleep at night, you’re not alone. Before you resort to over-the-counter remedies or prescription sedatives, however, think about some simple changes you can make to your nightly routine to help make sleep come a little more easily.
Here are some simple tips for improving your quality of sleep:
- Keep your bedroom slightly cooler than the rest of your house – it can be difficult to sleep if your room is uncomfortably warm.
- Use black-out curtains or blinds to keep your room dark at night.
- Stop using your smartphone and other screened devices at least 30 minutes before going to bed – the blue light can affect your circadian rhythm.
- Start a bedtime routine to get your body ready for sleep. Brush your teeth, put on your PJs, and complete a nightly skincare routine including retinoid anti-aging cream or acne treatments.
- Stop drinking caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime – definitely by 3 or 4 pm.
- Avoid taking naps during the day if you can – it can alter your internal clock and leave you struggling to fall asleep later.
- Stick to a consistent schedule for going to bed and getting up in the morning.
Getting a good night’s sleep is the key to looking and feeling your best. If you’re struggling with sleep deprivation, take some of the tips provided above and start making sleep a priority each and every night. You may be surprised how quickly your skin bounces back and how you start to look and feel younger after just a few days of quality sleep.