But what if one of the biggest secrets to better skin was as simple as lying down and taking a nap? After all, our body never stops working — not even when we’re asleep.
It turns out there’s quite a bit of research and science behind the concept of beauty rest. Sleep is when some of the most important internal — and epidermal — recovery takes place!
While you shouldn’t fully abandon your daytime skin care routine in favor of getting more Z’s, there are some easy ways to amp up your skin-sleep relationship for better morning results.
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. Research even says that one night of poor sleep can cause the following:
- hanging eyelids
- swollen eyes
- darker under-eye circles
- paler skin
- more wrinkles and fine lines
- more droopy corners of the mouth
A 2017 study found that two days of sleep restriction negatively affected participants’ perceived attractiveness, health, sleepiness and trustworthiness. So what seems like an overnight issue could transform into something more permanent.
First and foremost, you should know that sleep is the time when your body repairs itself. This is true for your epidermis as much as it is for your brain or your muscles. 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.
Second, understand that sleep is a time when your face inevitably comes into contact with the elements directly around it for a long time, especially if you’re getting the recommended seven to nine hours each night.
Think about it: Your face against rough, drying cotton for one-third of its existence — on top of its being exposed to the sun for a couple of unprotected hours — could do a number on the appearance and health of your skin.
6 Tips for #WokeUpLikeThis Skin
Here’s what you can do to help give your skin a rest.
1. Get a full night of sleep.
One of the best things you can do for your skin — and for your overall health — is to get the recommended amount of rest each night.
The effects of poor sleep on your skin are numerous and significant, including:
- skin that ages faster
- skin that doesn’t recover as well from environmental stressors like sun exposure
- less satisfaction with your skin quality
You should aim for getting an average seven to nine hours of sleep every night. If you’re wondering how to reset your internal clock and catch up on rest, try sleeping in on the weekends by following our three-day fix guide.
You can also track your sleep with a wearable fitness tracker.
2. Wash your face before turning in.
We’ve established that getting adequate sleep is a surefire way to help your skin repair itself; blood flow increases, collagen is rebuilt, and the muscles in your face relax after a long day. But going to sleep with a dirty face can counteract those benefits.
Cleansing your face at night is arguably more important than doing so in the morning. You don’t need to use fancy products or scrub very hard; a gentle cleanser to remove dirt, makeup and extra oil will do the trick.
You don’t want to give the day’s pore-clogging irritants the chance to sink in and do damage overnight. This can cause:
- large pores
- dry skin
- rashes
- infections
- inflammation
- acne outbreaks
3. Use an overnight moisturizer and put a glass of water on your bedside table.
Washing your face can dry it out, and sleeping can also dehydrate skin, especially if you snooze in a low-humidity environment. While staying hydrated by drinking water can help to some extent, what your skin really needs at night is a topical moisturizer.
Again, you don’t need the fanciest product on the market; you just need a thick cream or oil that can hydrate your skin as you sleep. Another option is to use your daytime moisturizer and then layer petroleum jelly over top — using clean hands — to lock in the moisture. For a more supercharged product, try an overnight sleeping mask.
4. Sleep on your back or use a special pillowcase.
It makes sense that the position your face is in while you sleep (for one-third of your day!) matters to your skin.
Sleeping on a rough cotton surface can irritate your skin and compress your face for long hours at a time, resulting in wrinkles. While most wrinkles are caused by the expressions we make while we’re awake, wrinkles on the face and chest can result from sleeping on our stomachs or sides.
An easy solution to this is sleeping on your back — which also has a few other benefits — even if you have to train yourself over time.
If you prefer to sleep on your side, get a skin-friendly pillowcase. A satin or silk pillowcase minimizes skin irritation and compression, while copper-oxide pillowcases may reduce crow’s feet and other fine lines.
Skin-loving pillowcases to try:
5. Elevate your head.
Elevating your head has been proven to help with snoring, acid reflux and nasal drip — all issues that can disturb the quality of your sleep and therefore your skin. In addition, it can help reduce bags and circles under your eyes by improving blood flow and preventing blood from pooling.
Elevating your head while you sleep can be as simple as adding an extra pillow, adding a wedge to your mattress, or even propping the head of your bed up by a few inches.
Popular pillow wedges:
6. Stay away from the sun while you snooze.
While we do most of our sleeping in the dark, sleeping with your skin directly exposed to the sun in the morning or during naps can have a damaging effect on your skin’s health and appearance — not to mention that sleeping in a lighted room can disturb sleep and sleep rhythms.
Getting blackout curtains or making sure that your bed is out of the sun’s direct line can help.
Embrace Healthy Sleep as a Path to Healthy Skin
In 2019, the skin care industry will see an estimated $130 billion of global sales in the form of lotions, fillers, serums and scrubs. But while we often spend a lot of our waking hours layering and lasering our skin, how we treat our skin during sleeping hours shouldn’t be overlooked.
It’s not just for a glow or to look youthful; it’s about maintaining your health in body, mind and skin for years to come. A few wrinkles never hurt anyone — in fact, they’re usually a sign of happy years lived.
Sarah Aswell is a freelance writer who lives in Missoula, Montana with her husband and two daughters. Her writing has appeared in publications that include The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, National Lampoon, and Reductress.
Original Article
Photo by Quentin Keller on Unsplash
