They don’t call it “getting your beauty sleep” for nothing

CONNECTING BETTER SLEEP TO BETTER SKIN

When we think about good quality sleep, we typically think of benefits like having more energy, or improving our relationship to stress. Rarely do we consider one of the lesser talked about benefits of prioritizing sleep; the health and condition of your skin.

Experts agree that a full night’s rest can help positively impact the appearance of your skin, helping to provide a healthy, hydrated glow, significantly lessen the appearance of red or puffy eyes and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. If you’ve ever needed a reason to prioritize getting your beauty sleep, Celebrity dermatologist Patricia Wexler says that only getting 5 hours of good quality sleep per night can lead to twice as many fine lines as sleeping 7 would.

Whitney Bowe, MD a dermatologist and author of “Dirty Looks: The Secret to Beautiful Skin”, shares that when we sleep, our stress hormone (cortisol) goes down, and our sleep hormone (melatonin) goes up, which is the perfect time for our body and skin to begin its repair process. This repair process is as relevant for your skin as it is for your brain or your muscles. Research says that being sleep deprived can cause physical symptoms to appear on the skin like hanging eyelids, dark circles and even drooping of the corners of the mouth.

HEALTHY SKIN STARTS AT BEDTIME

Luckily, taking good care of your skin as part of your sleep time routine doesn’t have to mean extra time spent scrubbing and primping in the bathroom. Here are a few simple simple steps to create a harmonious sleep & skincare routine:

1. Always wash your face before bed. Being exhausted isn’t a sufficient excuse to skip this important step! You run the risk of trapped dirt and oil, which leads to an increased likelihood of blemishes and breakouts, when you sleep with makeup on. Even without makeup, you’re exposed to the daily dirt and grime that makes its way to our skin through air pollution. Our favorite products to complement your skincare routine include our Yam Konjac Care cleansing sponge, a plant-based sponge enriched with nurturing extracts to help provide cleansing and gentle exfoliation. Another of our favorite skin care products we recommend before sleep are our elixirs, available as balancing, rejuvenating and sensitive, depending on your skin type. These are nourishing, renewing oils formulated to support your skin looking and feeling radiant and restored.
2. Give enough time for your products to absorb. While tempting to slather your face and hop directly into bed, this isn’t awesome for a few reasons. First, there is no sense in taking the time to care for your skin, only to have the products you’ve applied transfer directly onto your pillowcase. Secondly, a product that transfers to your pillowcase can cause irritation to sensitive areas, like the delicate skin around your eyes. A rule of thumb? Complete your skincare routine 15-30 minutes before you climb into bed.
3. Not all sleep is created equal. The quality of your sleep matters as much, if not more, than the quantity. Some of the key indicators your sleep is of high quality? You fall asleep in a reasonable amount of time, you typically sleep through the night, and you wake up feeling refreshed. Conversely, lying awake staring at the ceiling, waking frequently and having trouble falling back to sleep are reasons to believe your sleep quality may be suffering. To increase the likelihood of waking up looking and feeling fresh, prioritize creating a sleep routine that supports your ideal 7-9 hours of beauty sleep per night.

HEALTHY SKIN IS REFLECTIVE OF YOUR OVERALL HEALTH

It’s not just for vanity, or for chasing a healthy, youthful glow. The condition of your skin is an indicator of your overall health, and the correlation between prioritizing good quality sleep and healthy, happy skin cannot be overstated. The American Psychological Association published an article that addressed the power of restorative sleep, including healthy sleep behaviors. "If you disrupt sleep, you disrupt function everywhere. But if you can improve sleep, you might have a chance of improving everything."