The Sleeping Beauty: A Guide to Beauty Rest
As it turns out, “beauty sleep” is not just an old wives’ tale our mums all told us to get us into bed on time. Sleep is essential and getting enough can bring about a variety of benefits when it comes to beauty, skin health, and anti-ageing. Today we’ll talk you through why sleep is so important and give you a few tips on how to improve your sleep if you’re finding you’re not getting enough zzz’s....
BEAUTY
Getting enough good quality, regular sleep is essential to keep you looking and feeling your best. One of the main indications when we aren’t sleeping as well as we should be is the dark circles that form under our eyes, giving us a tired look. Additionally, a lack of sleep can affect our appearance by giving us puffy or bloodshot eyes. A lack of sleep can also be detrimental to other elements of our beauty, such as our hair. Without proper sleep, our hair can appear lifeless and dull. Moreover, not getting enough proper sleep can cause stress and an imbalance in hormones, which can result in hair loss or thinning.
SKIN
When we are not getting our beauty sleep, our skin can be one of the most significant outward indicators of this. Our skin undergoes much of its restoration overnight while we sleep, so sleep is arguably one of the most important parts of our skincare routines. Firstly, A lack of sleep can completely change our complexion from being radiant, to dull and pale. Inadequate sleep can also exacerbate any skin issues we may already have, like acne or eczema due to the restoration that isn’t able to occur. An inconsistent and poor sleep pattern can also cause the oil balance in our skin to become disrupted which can lead our skin to go to the extremes of 2either too oily or too dry. Because our bodies produce natural oils in our skin whilst we’re asleep, having enough sleep will help to produce the right amount of oil to keep our skin smooth and hydrated. Adequate sleep is also integral to proper circulation, which can give our skin a healthy and youthful glowing appearance.
ANTI-AGEING
Consistent good quality sleep is also conducive to anti-ageing. One of the main reasons that getting enough sleep helps us to maintain a youthful appearance is that whilst we are asleep, our bodies’ repair and regenerate cells, as well as produce human growth hormone, which helps to repair and rebuild tissue. Our skin also makes new collagen while we sleep, which is an essential part of preventing signs of ageing such as fine lines and wrinkles. Sleep can also help to reduce inflammation in the body, which can cause issues in our skin, as well as our joints and organs. Furthermore, sleep is also important for managing stress, which can certainly take a toll on our skin and exacerbate the ageing process.
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP
So, it’s clear that sleep is a vital aspect of our beauty regimes, but what if we aren’t getting enough? If you’re in this boat, there are some tips you can follow to improve help to improve your sleep...
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Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Try to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day. This will help to regulate your body’s natural sleep cycle and keep your sleep consistent.
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Create a sleep friendly environment: Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet. Make sure you are sleeping with a good quality mattress and pillows. To protect your skin and hair, a silk pillowcase is a fantastic option.
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Wind down before bed: Take an hour or two to wind down before bed. Having a nice bath, read a book, or relaxing on the couch are a few ways to get you ready for bed, but avoid screens as the blue light they emit can disrupt your body’s natural production of melatonin.
Incorporating these habits into your routine can help you to get the beauty rest you need to keep yourself looking and feeling youthful and radiant. So next time you find yourself feeling tempted to skimp on sleep, remember that it could be the key to your most beautiful self.
