You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘I need my beauty sleep’ before, most likely in a 90s rom-com. In reality, both you and your skin need to get beauty sleep. The term ‘beauty sleep’ is defined in the dictionary as “sleep before midnight, assumed to be necessary for one’s beauty”.
One of the biggest reasons is because when we’re sleeping, the chemicals in our skin react in such a way to begin repairing the skin from the damage it receives during the day. Beauty sleep forms the foundation for a proper skincare routine, and we’re going to let into the secret of why.
The Skin Benefits of Beauty Sleep
There’s no denying that we put our skin through a lot during the day. Our skin deals with wearing layers of makeup, as well as UV damage and pollution. While we rest our body and mind, we’re also giving our skin a chance to renew itself, which is why a nighttime skincare routine is essential. When we’re asleep, our body produces melatonin which is an antioxidant that protects our skin against harmful UV rays and the dark spots that can be caused by the sun.
A lack of sleep is one of the most difficult things to hide, even under layers of makeup. Think of how often you’ve seen someone and thought about how they’re not sleeping properly. Sleep deprivation can drastically impact how you look.
When we’re having a problem sleeping, our skin reads this as stress which can lead to breakouts and other skin issues. Research by the Royal Society shows that even a few days of broken sleep can significantly impact your skin.
Further research carried out in Sweden found that sleep-deprived individuals, even after one night, had issues such as paler skin, more fine lines and wrinkles, swollen and redder eyes, and more dark circles. Sleep is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps heal your skin and body.
Adding an extra pillow can help reduce the fluid in your body by improving blood flow, and in turn, prevent puff eyes and dark circles. When you’re asleep, your body triggers the release of hormones that helps repair your skin. If you don’t get your beauty sleep, then this will negatively impact the moisture in your skin, as well as your skin’s natural pH level. While you’re asleep, your skin is hard at work to rejuvenate itself. One of the first things you should do when you wake up is to hydrate yourself with a glass of water, as the final step for your beauty sleep.
When you’re sleeping, your skin produces the collagen it needs to prevent wrinkles and to keep your skin’s natural elasticity. Without a night of proper sleep, you can suffer a decrease in blood flow through your skin which can lead to your face looking dull. When the body suffers from sleep deprivation, it releases the hormone cortisol which breaks down the collagen in your skin which results in sagging and makes your fine lines and wrinkles more prominent in your skin.
The Other Benefits of Beauty Sleep
It’s not just your skin that benefits from a proper beauty sleep, your hair does as well. While you’re asleep, your body produces the protein synthesis and nutrients in your hair that creates healthy luscious locks through the increase in blood flow. The stress that can be caused by a lack of beauty sleep can result in the loss of hair over some time.
Along with improving your hair, beauty sleep helps repair your nails from the wear and tear they endure during the day and prevents them from becoming brittle or cracking. Collagen cells are produced and repaired during your sleep by growth hormones which help tackle issues such as acne and scarring and improve the overall quality of both your hair and nails.
So how much beauty sleep should you get every night?
Specialists recommend anywhere between seven to eight hours a night, but they also stress the importance of the quality of your sleep. If you’re not getting enough sleep, then your skin isn’t having a chance to repair itself from the environmental damage that it experiences during the day.
A lack of beauty sleep can lead to premature aging and even result in weight gain. If you’re looking to lose weight and improve your skin, then proper beauty sleep is essential for every aspect of your body. If you want to help improve your sleeping pattern, start by trying to add an extra hour every night.
REM sleep, or rapid eye movement sleep, is the deepest stage of your sleep and is the most essential for the condition of your skin and your overall health. This usually occurs during the last 2-3 hours of your sleep cycle and it's when your body is working hardest to regenerate your skin cells. Proper sleep not only improves the condition of your skin, but it is essential for your overall wellness and can set you up for a productive day.
The Sleepfolio Pillow Sleeve
When it comes to thinking about your beauty sleep, you need to consider what you’re resting your head-on. If you want to get the most out of your beauty sleep, then you need to invest in a proper pillowcase.
Cotton pillowcases can irritate your skin and even cause wrinkles if you sleep with your face against a rough pillow. Your pillowcase collects the oils, dirt, and sweat from your face and becomes full of the kind of bacteria that can damage your skin and hair. With a traditional pillowcase, it’s suggested that you should change them out at least once a week. If you sleep on your side, this can lead to premature lines in your skin from the pressure of your face against the pillow.
At Sleepfolio, we have reimagined beauty sleep with our pillow sleeves produced with 100% bamboo fabric that is hypoallergenic and cooling for your skin. Our pillow sleeves are designed to be wrapped over the pillow and pillowcase to give you a fresh surface every night.
If you want healthy skin, then beauty sleep is the foundation.
