Myth Busting All Things Beauty Sleep

“Get your beauty sleep”.

We hear it in magazines, advertisements, and even from friends.

While some might think it’s just a catchy phrase, beauty sleep is a real thing.  

During our slumber hours, our body enters repair mode and produces growth hormones. These hormones create new cells, giving our skin the opportunity to recover from any daytime damage.

However, it’s upside far beyond your epidermis. So, whether you’re new to this exciting world, or ready to give your body some extra loving – here’s everything you need to know about the importance of beauty sleep. 

How much beauty sleep do you really need?

While exact numbers may vary from person to person, the National Sleep Foundation recommends adults should be getting seven to nine hours consistently to reap sleep’s beauty benefits.

For most of us, this means any less than six hours might start taking a toll on our energy levels.

But what impact does this have on our appearance?

It turns out, lack of sleep is the likely culprit to many health problems on the outside too – the mirror never lies. If you’re familiar with the dreary, dull complexion that follows after hitting the hay well past bedtime, you’ll know what we’re talking about.

It’s often the scientific explanation behind symptoms like skin break-outs, tired puffy eyes, and ageing. And no one wants that.

So, if you find yourself guilty of depriving yourself of a solid siesta - here are some beauty sleep perks that might help make your journey that much more worthwhile.  

De-Puffed Eyes

No one enjoys puffy racoon bags.

Lack of sleep can cause your blood vessels to expand, resulting in blood pooling under your eyes and leaving you with those dark, circles bags that scream “I’m running on empty!” - and seem impossible to rid. They’re often paired with that equally unfavourable red-ish tint in the whites of your eyes. Log enough beauty sleep and both problems will vanish.

BeautySleep Tip: If you want to maximise your sleep position for good eyes and skin, prop your head up with an extra pillow to make sure that no fluid builds up as you sleep. This elevation will improve blood flow and encourage brighter eyes upon waking.

Fewer Sleep Wrinkles

There’s nothing wrong with wrinkles. They are, after all, a natural part of the ageing process and a few facial lines can add character to your face. But it’s also no secret that many of us would prefer to keep them in check.

During your slumber hours, blood flow to your epidermis increases; a process that occurs when your skin begins to rebuild and produce new collagen to prevent ageing. In other words, the more collagen your skin produces during sleep - the less likely you are to wrinkle.

But despite its healing beauty benefits, if you’re not sleeping in the right position - you may be preventing the skin of your dreams. Why?

According to Konstantin Basyukevich, MD, the horizontal position we lie in for several hours throughout the night shifts the balance of fluid distribution towards our upper body (hence why facial swelling usually occurs when we rise).

In the long-term, this cyclical swelling and the daily expansion and contraction of the facial tissue puts a strain on the ligamentous support of the face. This eventually leads to stretching and sagging associated with an aged appearance.

BeautySleep Tip: Paired with the tip above, sleeping on your back can help with prolonging youthful skin. Not only does it prevent lines due to the lack of wrinkle-inducing friction, but it also stops the skin from feeling the pressure of your face “folding” into the pillow. Silk pillowcases may also be kinder on your skin than cotton, as they help prevent unwanted facial creases, lines and imprints.

The less your skin grips onto your pillowcase, the less likely it is you'll wind up with permanent fine lines from your sleeping position.

Easier Weight Loss

The connection between sleep and weight gain is hard to ignore.

 It's not just your brain and body that feel hard done by after a poor night’s sleep —your fat cells do, too.

When your body is sleep-deprived, it suffers from "metabolic grogginess." The term was coined by researchers who analyzed what happened after just four days of poor sleep—a common side-effect of a busy week. One late night at work leads to two late nights at home, and next thing you know, you're in sleep debt.

Not only this, your body's ability to properly use insulin (the master storage hormone) becomes completely disrupted. Lack of proper rest also leads to food cravings and sabotages your exercise time. Research has even found that women who are sleep-deprived are a third more likely to gain 33 pounds over the next 16 years than those who receive just seven hours of sleep per night. Yikes!

BeautySleep Tip: If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, try a light, healthy snack before bed. Eating heavy meals before bed could disrupt your sleep cycle, but something small could help your body drift into relax-mode.

Stick to balanced, healthy options that help regulate your blood sugar overnight. And remember, what might work for someone else could hinder your zzz’s - so be prepared to do a trial run before something sticks.

Youthful, Luminous Skin

Like many of us, as members of the acne sufferers club at some stage of our lives, we can safely say we’ve tried it all. But what actually causes us to break out?

While not one factor causes it, there are several triggers and it varies from person to person. Hormones, stress, medication, genetics and environmental factors are just some of the reasons people have acne flare-ups. Old skin cells can deaden your complexion as well as clog your pores, resulting in breakouts.

The good news? Your skin can bounce back pretty quickly with a few consecutive nights of good sleep. Healthier blood flow to the skin results in new cell generation, a more radiant complexion and fewer spots upon waking. Win-win!
 
BeautySleep Tip: Try to focus on healthy, hydrating foods and drinks throughout the day – especially if you’re active. This might help offset the hydration you lose during sleep, promoting healthier, glowing skin. You’ll also want to clean your pillowcase at least once a week to rid it of any bacteria and lingering makeup.

Bigger, brighter smiles

Okay - it might sound a little cheesy - but a friendly smile really is everyone’s best beauty accessory.

Loss of sleep can also affect your social interactions, with insomnia making it 10 times more likely to have clinical depression. So, if you’re feeling stressed—as is often true for sleep sufferers—you’re a lot less likely to be flashing those pearly whites. In other words, the better you sleep, the happier you’ll be.
 
BeautySleep Tip: After a long day, try trade in any intense exercise too close to bedtime for a relaxing yoga session to help calm both your body and mind. We love @theralstonmethod for inspo!

The truth is - finding your beauty sleep is a journey. But one that is totally worthwhile.

Falling asleep doesn’t come naturally to everyone; many struggle to get a full night’s rest on a regular basis - but there are ways around it. So, if your beauty sleep needs a boost, practice some of our secrets above and you’ll be waking up glowing in no time.