We have all heard the term before, that we need to get our “beauty sleep,” but other than it sounding good and being a convenient reason to stay in bed, there is in fact some real science behind this term. As it turns out, one of the best tricks or hacks for everyday beauty care that you can ever implement is a good sleep routine, and here is why.
QUALITY SLEEP MEANS QUALITY SKIN
It’s no surprise to anyone that the quality of your sleep affects the way that you look. We have all had a couple of bad nights of sleep and look tired, with dark circles around our eyes and had lackluster skin. If poor sleep quality is a prolonged problem, the result is even a sagging of the skin, making you look like you are aging prematurely. But do you know why?
The capillaries (blood vessels) under your skin actually dilate under the stress of improper sleep and the muscle structure actually retains tension, which alters the facial muscular structure. Most importantly, sleep possesses immense healing properties, especially for your skin. According to Sleepdex, the sleep cycle is influential in detoxifying the body, as well as essential for the production of collagen and human growth hormone, which both help to repair and generate new body tissues. Put simply, these hormones physically rejuvenate the skin, muscle tissue, and even bones, which in turn helps you to look healthy and well-rested.
IT’S ALL A MATTER OF ROUTINE
Now that you know sleep is one of the most essential parts of your daily beauty routine, here is how to make it a priority. The first thing that you need to do is create a healthy sleep routine. Routine helps to trigger your body’s natural responses. For example, if you drink a cup of sleepy-time tea every night before bed, your body will naturally be triggered to prepare for sleep when you drink your tea. Ideally, you should go to bed at the same time every night, and work in a good “winding down” routine that can include a little bit of light reading, as well as your regular end of day bathroom routine of removing your makeup and brushing your teeth. The more daily triggers that you have to tell your body to shut down, the more effective it will be and the faster you will fall asleep.
CREATING A GOOD SLEEP ENVIRONMENT
Creating the most beneficial sleep environment can mean the difference between staying asleep and getting a better quality of sleep. You should train yourself to sleep on your back if you can. Not only does this prevent the face-pressed-into-your-pillow issue that arises when sleeping on your stomach – which in turn can generate lines and creases, as well as restrict blood flow in the capillaries – you will actually move less during sleep if you are on your back, allowing you to slumber more deeply.
Of course, the desire to toss and turn is sometimes related to the quality of your mattress, so if your mattress is old or uncomfortable, it might a good idea to look online for a new one. Because as you sleep, you have certain pressure points that rest against the mattress, these pressure points will be worse on a bad mattress, again cutting off blood flow and oxygen delivery. Your brain processes this as pain and discomfort and will trigger you to turn in order to restore blood flow. When considering a mattress, go for a reputable brand’s product that doesn’t contain springs, but memory foam instead, such as one from www.evemattress.com. Springs put added pressure on the points where they come in contact with the body and will trigger tossing and turning, resulting in a less restful sleep. This review goes into deeper detail about the Eve memory foam mattress and how it fared after several night’s sleep.
You should also eliminate any light sources and noise, as these too will interrupt the quality of your sleep, and maintain a comfortable room temperature of around 68°F (20°C). If your room is too cold or too hot, you will have a more restless night’s sleep.
