There truly is nothing more satisfying than waking up from a solid snooze. Your mind and body have had time to relax and are readily refueled to take on the day ahead. But did you know that your skin can also benefit from a good night’s rest? Better sleep can in fact lead to brighter skin, so if you find yourself continually staring back at a dull, dehydrated, and dark complexion each morning, perhaps it’s time you ditch the late-night social media scrolling and reality TV reruns for some good ol’ shut-eye.
To learn how to reap the beauty benefits of sleep, keep reading!
Beauty Benefits of Sleep
De-Puffed Under Eyes
When you’re stressed, your cortisol levels rise, which alter the amount of salt in the body. This in turn can make your body retain water. The result? Dark, dull, and puffy under eyes.
But a good night’s rest can help counteract those dehydrated, dark circles that result from restless slumbers. Successful shuteye helps improve facial blood flow and lessen the likelihood of resembling a raccoon in the morning. And as much as these creatures are adorable, we’d rather have eyes that’re well-rested and radiant.
Radiant, Youthful Skin
Do you really want to announce this the moment you walk through the front door? Yeah, we didn’t think so. Lack of sleep can aggravate your skin and lead to premature aging, so hitting the hay at a reasonable hour is something you’re going to want to consider. While our bodies rest at night, our skin cells are hard at work repairing themselves by restoring collagen cells and producing melatonin. The former, as we already know, helps tighten skin, even skin tone, and prevent facial discoloration and wrinkle development. The latter works as an antioxidant to help keep skin radiant and protected against harmful UV rays. It prevents dark spots and fine lines from forming, too.
Clearer Complexion
Another beauty benefit of better sleep is brighter, clearer skin!
Remember how we mentioned high cortisol levels can result in dark circles? Well friends, it can result in breakouts, too! If you’re sleep deprived, your body produces more of this stress-releasing hormone, which your skin’s sebaceous glands love. This overproduction of oil can then lead to an awful acne attack. High cortisol levels can also aggravate inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. So, if you’re contemplating diving into another episode of Selling Sunset late this evening instead of dozing off into dreamland, don’t do it.
The Best Sleep Position for Glowing Skin
Sleeping on your side or stomach may sound the most ideal but these positions, despite being the ones people opt for most, can hinder not only your back health but your skin health, too. Ineffective toxin removal. Crow’s feet and smile line development. Poor blood circulation. These are just a few of the daunting factors these positions can have on your delicate face. So, what’s the best way to sleep to achieve happy and healthy skin?
To maintain your best and brightest complexion, sleeping on your back is recommended, as it reduces unnecessary contact between your face and pillow(s). This contact can cause facial irritation and lead to acne development if you’re not careful. So, if you want to avoid an unwanted facial attack, sleep on your back!
The Recommended Amount of Sleep for Glowing Skin
We hate to break it to you night owls, but your four to five hours of slumber ain’t gonna cut it.
The recommended amount of sleep for adults to properly function, stay sane, and achieve glowing skin is seven to nine hours per night. We know that it may not be possible to accomplish every evening, but if it’s activities such as gaming that’re keeping you up into the wee hours of the morning, it’s time to swap your controller for your cushion.
The Bottom Line
Simply put, healthy sleep leads to healthy skin. It’s easier said than done but turning down alcoholic adventures afterhours or saying no to satisfying midnight munchies might just save your skin! So tonight, try turning in at a reasonable hour. Throw on your favorite jammies, snuggle under your coziest blanket, and get ready to catch some z’s.