Are you getting your beauty sleep?

When I was younger, I’d spend countless night up until all hours. It was so uncool to go to bed early. These days, I wish I could fall asleep at 10, but, more often than not, my insomnia is keeping me awake till the early morning hours.

Doesn’t matter what’s keeping me awake. My skin is paying the price for lack of sleep. Just like the rest of my body (and mind), it looks tired and worn out. People have started asking me if I’m ill. Ugh.

Beauty sleep is no myth. We really need it to look our best. Without it, there’s only so much the best concealer in the world can do (although I’m ever so grateful for my beloved Bobbi Brown concealers – they help a ton!).

Here’s why and how to get all the beauty sleep you (and your skin) need:

Beauty sleep is no myth. It helps repair skin and keeps it elastic and flawless.Click to Tweet

Why We Need Our Beauty Sleep

Let’s start with the boring science part. In humans, sleep is divided into two main phases: non-REM and REM sleep.

The first phase, which occupies most of the early sleep night, is when our brain gets its well-deserved rest after all the frantic and intense work it did when we were awake. The second phase, REM or “deep” sleep, is when we dream.

It’s during the REM phase that our body regenerates and restores itself (isn’t it awesome)? Here’s how it works. Our body produces human growth hormobe (HGH) that helps repair tissues and keeps skin elastic. Skin cells regenerate faster at night, too.

So, if sleep is that important, can you imagine what happens when we don’t enough? Our body isn’t happy, and starts producing cortisol, the hormone that creates free radicals and reduces skin regeneration. And, as we all know, we get those pesky dark circles, under-eye bags, and puffy eyes.

How to get your best sleep

Ok, so now you know that you need to get at least 8 hours of good sleep every single night (naps don’t count). But how do you do it?

1. Routine is your friend

Routine can be so boring. But, it can also be helfpul. Going to sleep at the same hour every night, and waking up at the same hour every morning really helps. Your body will rebel at first, but, soon, you’ll teach it when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to wake up, so that it can get all the rest it needs.

2. Watch your diet

A large meal and a good cup of coffee are two of the little pleasures of life. But, they also interfere with sleep. Never have them just before you go to bed. The same is true for nicotine, but, then, I hope you aren’t smoking, anyway. I wrote a whole post about how that ages you faster too, by the way. If you smoke, you should check it out.

3. Don’t forget your skincare

Doesn’t matter how tired you are, you should always find the time to cleanse your skin and apply serum and moisturizer, at least. The night is a particularly great time to use retinol and vitamin C, two anti-aging superstars that make skin more susceptible to sun damage when exposed to sunlight.

4. Create a quiet environment

Light and noise can interfere with sleep, too. So, make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and comfortably warm (but, not too hot, or you won’t be able to sleep).

5. Sleep On Your Back

I’m awful at this. I find sleeping on my side so comfortable. But, pressing your face into a pillow can create crease marks that turn into premature wrinkles overtime. Kinda defeats the purpose of sleeping for better skin, doesn’t it?

The Bottom Line

Getting your eight hours of sleep is not negotiable if you want healthy and flawless skin. Hopefully, these tips will make it easier for you to get all the beauty sleep you need.

Do you get enough beauty sleep? Do you have any tips to sleep better?

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Are you getting your beauty sleep? syndicated from Beautiful With Brains
August 24, 2019 at 03:42AM