Staying and looking young is a big deal for most. In fact, every year people spend thousands of dollars on eye serums, face masks, moisturizers, and develop an entire skincare routine to get that youthful glow—the beauty industry is huge and it’s selling you on a lie. Lack of sleep is affecting your skin and you probably didn’t even realize it.
Because here’s the thing. The quality and length of sleep you receive each night has a profound impact on your skin’s overall health. This is because during sleep we heal, restore and eliminate toxins from the skin. So when sleep is compromised, so is the body’s ability to carry out these essential skin repairing functions. As a result your skin ages much faster than necessary and you end up looking a decade older than you actually are. Whereas if you were to sleep well, for the proper amount of time, you’d look 10 years younger. So, it’s not the miracle skin serums or skincare routines you need, but precious undeniable sleep. Because believe it or not, sleep is the true fountain of youth.
Trust me, I know how hard it is to get in those sleep hours when the world and our society demands so much from us, but if you keep reading, I’ll give you the secret to my sleep routine and youthful glow.
To emphasize just how crucial sleep is to your appearance, here are the 5 ways your looks suffer when you don’t get enough sleep:
Research has shown there is a direct correlation between stress and the onset of hair loss. This is because sleep deprivation is ruthless. It’s the most relentless form of stress done to the body. What I’m saying is lack of sleep increases the stress hormone which makes your hair suffer and prematurely fall out. Basically, if you want those thick luscious locks, you need to put in the Zzz’s.
Just one hour of lost sleep causes your stress levels to increase because your body automatically begins to release the stress hormone. Consequently, inflammation occurs which breaks down the proteins in the skin that keep your skin radiant and smooth.
Essentially, when you’re too tired the blood in your body doesn’t flow efficiently. As a result, there is a lack of oxygen in the blood which causes your skin to appear ashy, pigmented, or blotchy. Basically, if you want that morning glow, you need to sleep.
Sleep acts as a natural moisturizer. This is because while you’re asleep your body’s hydration rebalances and recovers extra moisture. For this reason, sleep helps smooth out wrinkles, keeping you looking younger.
But that’s not all. When you miss out on sleep, your complexion’s PH level lowers which creates a skin imbalance. Under those conditions, your skin doesn’t produce the moisture it so desperately needs which leads to drier skin. Given these points, it’s clear that sleep is crucial for that soft glow.
Everyone knows that lack of sleep causes dark circles—bags—under the eyes. Essentially, lack of sleep results in poor water balance which results in dark circles and puffy eyes. Important to note, that if you’re a stomach sleeper, liquid can drain and catch in the trough of your under eye and cause inflammation and puffiness. This is one of the reasons why sleeping on your back is highly recommended.
Missing out on sleep directly causes stress to the body which is extremely harmful. This is because stress assaults the integrity of the collagen in skin. You might be wondering what’s the big deal? What’s collagen? It’s an important part of keeping your skin youthful. Collagen is the ingredient in the elasticity and structure of your skin. When it’s compromised, the skin shows more noticeable signs of aging because it becomes thinner and less firm. As a result, skin appears less smooth and subtle, showcasing wrinkles more prominently. Given these points, it goes without saying that sleep is vital to keeping your skin young and healthy.
Now, while you shouldn’t fully abandon your daytime skin care routine in favour of getting more Zzz’s, there are some easy ways to amp your skin-sleep relationship for better morning, youthful results.
I’m not kidding. A weighted blanket is known for promoting and improving sleep. Plus, it helps keep you calm, and in one position throughout the night. Remember when I said you shouldn’t be sleeping on your belly if you don’t want to wake up with bags? Well, a weighted blanket promotes sleeping on your back, which is the recommended position for optimal sleep.
Check out this list of the top weighted blankets and start your journey to better sleep.