How Sleep Benefits Your Skin: The Science

Ever skipped on sleep for exams or an early flight? We all have, and the consequences show right on our face. Beauty sleep is not a myth, in fact, there are many sleep benefits for your skin,  so today we are going to explore the science of sleep.

The formula of sleep is simple; the longer we allow our body to rest, the longer it is able to restore and rejuvenate our skin. An inefficient amount of sleep not only has an effect on your skin but it also adds to increasing stress levels which can then cause further breakouts and dullness to skin tone.

So how does sleep benefit your skin?

Lack of sleep can actually worsen any existing skin conditions, which means that those suffering from eczema and psoriasis may experience more flare ups, where as others could suffer from increased inflammatory triggers which lead to acne, allergies and sensitivity.

When your skin is trying to tackle these problems, it is using energy from breaking down collagen and hyaluronic acid which are known to be beauty molecules.   Not being able to sleep properly also causes our blood vessels to dilate which as a result make our skin seem darker hence the dark circles.  A couple of days of this routine is what leads to our skin looking dull, tired, tensed and older.

What does skin do while you sleep?

Skin is self-healing and it is this healing process that our skin is best at while we sleep.

Skin rejuvenates itself while getting rid of any toxins and excess oils from our body, one of the most important benefits sleep has for our skin overnight.

So as a result, when your beauty sleep is compromised, skin is unable to carry out this process which will lead to a build-up of nasties which allow a build-up of bacteria.

 

What can we do to get a good night’s sleep?

First of all, start by making small changes into your daily life.  Having a large meal or a lot of water will make you feel full and bloated therefore disturbing you while you sleep.

Don’t use electronics before resting – we have all heard that using your phone while in bed will delay your sleeping time.  Although this is true, having electronics does more than that.  When our brain senses light, it is unable to switch your mind off which then influences the day-night cycle.

De-stress yourself – it can be very hard to sleep when you are going through a bad phase but try and find a way to relax yourself.  Some people use deep breathing or yoga or have a calming bath and use essential oils to de-stress the mind.

Use relaxants – pillow sprays and essential oils work like magic.  Lavender, Chamomile, Jasmine,and Vanilla are all sleep-friendly and help to sooth your senses.  Choose a scent you love and get a restful sleep.  You can even use balms and moisturizers.  Some of my favorites includethisworks deep sleep pillow spray and NEOM Wellbeing Pod Essential Oil Diffuser .