Beauty sleep isn’t a mere term – it actually carries a deeper meaning. A sound sleep at night directly impacts your skin health! When you are deprived of sleep, the body manufactures more cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol lead to higher stress, tension, and inflammation, which wreak havoc on the skin.
Here are the benefits of sleeping for your skin:
Put a stop to skin conditions from getting worse
Not getting sufficient sleep through the night can worsen skin conditions. Increased inflammatory response shows up as more acne breakouts, increased skin sensitivity, higher irritant dermatitis, etc. Getting solid sleep is extremely important so you don’t aggravate these conditions.
Don’t compromise on natural beauty
If you aren’t sleeping enough, the number of inflammatory cells in your body shoot up, which results in a speedy breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid, which contribute towards the skin’s glow and translucency. While you are sleeping, the body’s hydration rebalances. Skin is able to recover moisture, while excess water in general in the body is processed for removal. Not getting enough sleep results in poor water balance, leading to puffy bags under your eyes and under-eye circles, as well as dryness and more visible wrinkles. That is why it is imperative to get at least 7 hours of rest, so you don’t have to deal with sunken eyes and sallow complexion.
Prevent signs of aging from appearing faster
While sleeping doesn’t technically “slow down” the process of aging, the lack of it can definitely accelerate it. When you sleep, the rise in growth hormones allows damaged cells to repair themselves. Sans proper sleep, this won’t happen, leading to small breakdowns on a daily basis, which accumulates instead of being reversed overnight, thus causing signs of aging to appear quickly.
Don’t allow obesity to overtake your body
A solid night’s rest makes you feel less hungry, which in turn is good for weight management. Recent studies have linked sleep deprivation to excess snacking and calorie consumption.
Remember that poor sleep not only leads to stress hormones being released in the body, but it enhances severity of inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. This can result in increased itching, which can disrupt sleep. As the vicious cycle continues, skin conditions and sleep quality can increasingly worsen together. To avoid these problems, chalk out a manageable sleep schedule so you can work, complete chores, and get the required rest at the same time.
References:
- ‘Beauty Sleep – What It Is and How You Can Get It | Sleep Advisor’, The Sleep Advisor, Feb. 21, 2020. https://www.sleepadvisor.org/beauty-sleep/ (accessed Apr. 18, 2020).
- ‘The Benefits of Getting Your Beauty Sleep’. https://www.olay.in/en-in/skin-care-tips-and-articles/skin-care-basics/the-benefits-of-beauty-sleep (accessed Apr. 18, 2020).