The Science Behind Beauty Sleep

This post was originally published on Hello April.

We have heard our mothers say it. Our friends say so. We’ve probably even said it ourselves before a first date or some fancy event: “I need a good night’s sleep.”

Where does the assumption come from that sleeping can make you more beautiful?

Did this theory infiltrate our minds when Disney created an entire hit movie driven by the concept: a princess called “Sleeping Beauty” whom little girls would look up to for decades? Or is there really science behind restful sleep?

It turns out there is.

Diet, exercise, hormones and genetics all influence the clarity of our skin. However, studies show Our skin recovers more while we sleep.

But before you assume that setting a bedtime and sticking to it will make you wake up more beautiful, it’s important to understand that sleep is just one factor that affects skin quality.

3 Ways Restful Sleep (or Lack Of It) Affects Your Skin

Sleep improves skin barrier function

Our primary skin roWhat we want is to act as a barrier that keeps pollution and toxins out of our body. When we sleep too little continuously, the result decreases Skin barrier (the outermost layer of our skin).) function. The better we take care of our skin, the better can play that role as a protective barrier.

All of this means that people with poor sleep quality may miss out on some of the restorative benefits that good sleepers enjoy. Poor skin barrier function causes dry skin, which can lead to itching, irritation, and in some cases, eczema.

Lack of sleep can accelerate skin aging

The skin barrier function is also directly related to skin aging. A decrease in skin barrier function caused by lack of sleep can accelerate skin aging.

Lack of sleep delays healing of sun damage

Inadequate sleep slows the healing of sun damage. This is not surprising, knowing that sleep is the time when the body rests and repairs itself.

Like other body systems, the skin is also an organ that has to rejuvenate, repair and replenish, and this occurs During the dream.

Restful sleep myths: Let’s debunk a couple of them.

Where there are facts, you can always find myths nearby. When it comes to restful sleep, there are many myths. We want to debunk two in particular.

Myth 1: Dark circles are exclusively due to lack of sleep

You’ve probably heard at some point in your life that the bags under your eyes that you struggle to cover with concealer every morning are a direct result of lack of sleep. Although it is not an unreasonable assumption, there is no scientific data to support that claim.

Dark circles are most likely caused by a combination of factors, such as allergies, genetics, and possibly lack of sleep.

Myth 2: More sleep = fewer breakouts

If only this were true! Heck, most of us would probably go into hibernation. While it would be nice to say that getting more sleep would dramatically improve the number of breakouts we see, there are many other factors that influence skin quality, such as genetics, skincare routine, and diet.

Sleep is only a small part of overall skin health.

3 ways to improve your skin

There may be no manual for waking up flawless, but there are a few things you can do to get one step closer to healthier skin:

Sleep for better skin

Although sleep will not solve all skin problems, it plays a vital role in skin repair and restoration. If you don’t get enough sleep at night, take a look at your sleeping environment.

Is your mattress ten years older? Maybe it’s time for an update. Maybe you’re drinking caffeine too late in the day.

Evaluate your sleep hygiene. If you struggle with lack of sleep regularly, you may want to talk to your primary care doctor about possible solutions.

Don’t sleep with makeup

Sleeping with makeup on can be easily avoided. We’ve all had nights where we accidentally crashed on the couch with our mascara still on, but most nights we live by the rule: take off our makeup.

You absolutely don’t want sleeping with makeup on to become a habit. It is the main culprit behind clogged pores and breakouts. If you’re prone to falling asleep with a face full of makeup, try keeping micellar cleansing wipes on your nightstand for added convenience.

Cleanse and moisturize before bed.

Cleansing your face first thing in the morning and right before bed is important for everyone, even those who don’t wear makeup. Our skin encounters many external elements throughout the day. (think dirt, pollution, weather and something else). We clean for basic hygiene.

Moisturizing cleansers are often recommended because they cleanse without drying the skin or stripping it of the lipids it needs. This type of cleanser tends to be gentler.

Don’t limit yourself to taking care of your skin to improve your appearance. Take care of your skin because it is the organ whose main job is to protect us! For some of us, that starts in bed.