Big skin care product companies have taught us that the skin routine starts early in the morning and continues until the night’s end. Still, no one has told us anything about the importance of sleeping at night when the real story is 8 hours. How many hours do we sleep during the day, and what quality directly affects our skin’s health, beauty, and radiance? Stay with us to explain more.
What are the harmful effects of lack of sleep on the skin?
Dark circles under the eyes clearly show that the water in the body dries up in the middle of the night. Dry skin and dimples under the eyes are signs of dehydration caused by fatigue. Evidence shows that those who sleep less than 8 hours a night have more dehydrated bodies than others. As this lack of sleep increases, the body’s hydration decreases until nothing remains but a dry body. Gradually, the elastskin’s elasticity decreases, which is the beginning of skin damage.
How does sleeping help skin health?
Sleep is not a magic stick. You can see its positive effect after one or two nights, but the adverse effects of not sleeping, such as droopy eyelids, swollen eyes, dark circles under the eyes, pale skin, and more wrinkles, can be seen even after one night of lack of sleep. Now, think about going to bed late every night and waking up early in the morning instead of one night. If you need more clarification about the effect of sleep on skin health, read this section more carefully.
1. Skin cells are regenerated.
After a long day of fighting UV rays, pollution, sweating, and excreting toxins, the skin needs rest and regeneration. As we age, it takes more time to produce skin cells. The faster the cell turnover is, the skin will naturally look fresher and smoother.
When we sleep, the skin enters recovery mode and starts repairing and rebuilding. Interestingly, skin regeneration at night is up to 3 times faster than during the day.
During sleep, the human body laboriously removes toxins and weak and dead skin cells to make room for new cells. You will gradually notice your smooth and blemish-free skin if you have a good day and night rhythm. Adequate sleep enhances the rejuvenating effect of skin care products.
2. The skin accepts care products better.
Have you ever asked yourself why most antiaging products should be used before bed? These products are better absorbed by the skin at night and have the most significant effect.
The story is that during sleep, the body enters the recovery phase, and skin care products accelerate this process; that is, by increasing the temperature of the skin’s surface and producing hormones, it increases the skin’s permeability. It makes it more receptive to retinoids, peptides, and vitamins. Therefore, it is recommended to apply heavy ingredients such as retinol and glycolic acid before going to sleep so that the skin has enough time to absorb them.
3. The skin produces more collagen.
Collagen is the key to smooth skin. Although some care products claim to stimulate collagen production, you should pay attention to the effect of sleep on the production of this substance. When we sleep, the body produces growth hormones. These hormones ensure the skin has enough collagen and remains firm and glowing. It also provides an excellent opportunity to heal acne and scars in the body.
4. Skin stress is eliminated.
Lack of sleep puts the skin in a pro-inflammatory state by increasing the cortisol (stress hormone) level, which results in dark and puffy skin around the eyes. Cortisol can disrupt blood circulation and break down the skin’s collagen and hyaluronic acid reserves. It is enough to rest for 8 hours during the day and night to efficiently manage the level of cortisol hormone and prevent these symptoms.
5. You give your skin an environmental break.
Every day, our skin is exposed to sunlight, pollution and, worst of all, the blue light of various screens. The night is the time to rest. You draw the curtains and remove the makeup. In this situation, there is no news of the amount of daily sweating. The skin can breathe and rest easily in this clean space. Avoid going to the mobile phone before sleep and invite your skin to rest for 8 hours.
How to sleep to have healthier skin?
Although sleeping helps with skin health, you can multiply these positive effects by following simple tips.
1. Get eight hours of sleep a night.
Premature aging of the skin, extreme vulnerability to environmental stress, and unfavorable skin quality are all signs of insufficient sleep at night. So, the best starting point is to get used to 7-9 hours (for adults) of sleep a night. Adjusting the body’s sleep time is not difficult; it is enough to endure the first few days for the body to get used to the new situation. You can even track your sleep hours with a wearable fitness tracker.
2. Wash your face before going to bed.
Without washing the facial skin before going to sleep, there is no increase in blood flow, collagen production, and relaxation of the skin muscles during the night. On the contrary, until you wake up in the morning and your face is blue, your skin is in agony—no need for fancy products and hard scrubs. Remove dirt, oil, and makeup residue with a gentle cleanser. In this way, the blocking stimuli do not have a chance to stay on the skin overnight and cause enlarged pores, dry skin, infection, inflammation, rashes, and acne growth.
3. Apply moisturizer before going to bed.
Washing and sleeping both make the skin dry, especially if the surrounding environment is not very humid. Although drinking water helps with this dehydration to some extent, the skin needs a potent moisturizer and hydrator during the night. A natural cream or oil preserves the interstitial water of the skin. You can even apply a layer of Vaseline on top of the cream to keep the moisturizer in the pores. If you want a more practical product, we recommend the night mask.
4. Sleep on your back or have a unique pillow.
Remember to underestimate the importance of the pillowcase. Your skin is supposed to be in contact with the pillowcase for 8 hours (one-third of the day). Cotton fabrics irritate the skin for hours, and lines and wrinkles appear afterward. Mos, after a short period of, these wrinkles result from what we do while awake, but sleeping on your stomach or side is also not without effect. What is the solution? Sleep on your back or get a suitable satin or silk pillowcase to minimize skin irritation and compression.
5. When sleeping, your head should be higher than your body.
According to doctors, raising the head at night prevents snoring, stomach reflux, and runny nose. All these somehow blind the pleasure of sleep, and fatigue remains in the person’s body. Fatigue, as you know, dries up the water in the body and stretches and shrinks the skin. Apart from these, if the head is high, the blood flow in the body is maintained, and there is no news of accumulation and filling of bags under the eyes. You can raise the height of the head a little higher with an additional pillow or adjust the inclination of the bed towards the legs.
6. Do not be under direct sunlight at sunrise.
Most of the night time is dark, and there is no sunlight, but at dawn, when the sun rises and you are still sleeping, you should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Sleeping in a bright room damages the skin’s appearance and inner health, destroys sleep quality, and does not relieve body fatigue. It is better to cover the windows with thick curtains or place the bed in a blind spot from the sun.
An important point: If you feel that your lack of sleep or insomnia originates from sleep disorders such as apnea or restless leg syndrome, first eliminate these disorders. You may need to be under the supervision of a specialist for some time.
last word
Most of us spend so much time on skin routines, peels, and skin care lasers that we forget the importance of a good night’s sleep. A few hours of rest is necessary not only for the freshness and shine of the skin but also for maintaining the overall health of the body and rejuvenating the brain cells. But don’t be upset if you wake up one morning and see some thin lines around your eyes. These lines are a sweet reminder of the past years of your life.
How many hours do you sleep during the night? Have you ever noticed the effect of sleep on the freshness and health of your skin? We would be happy if you could tell us about your experiences.
