According to research, one night of poor sleep can cause puffy eyes, droopy eyelids, dark circles, changes in skin tone, more wrinkles and fine lines around the lip area. A 2017 study co-authored by Dr. Tina Sundelin, of the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, found that limiting two days of sleep negatively affected the perception of attractiveness, health and reliability of participants who experienced sleepiness. This is because sleep is the hours when your body is “reconstructed”. This is as true for your skin as it is for your brain or the muscles of your body.
During sleep, blood flow to your skin increases and the organ rebuilds its collagen. In this way, it repairs the damage from UV exposure, reducing wrinkles and time marks on your skin. In addition, during sleep your face inevitably comes into contact with the elements around it for a long time – especially if you get the recommended seven to nine hours of rest each night. Think about how your face coexists with the qualities of the materials and fabrics you choose to dress the space you sleep in for a third of its existence during the day. Add to this the two hours of sun exposure – without protection – and you can imagine how much the appearance and health of your skin depends on the choices you make during the day. What are the best ways to rest your skin?
1. Give your skin the recommended amount of rest every night. This ranges from 7 to 9 hours per day, depending on your needs. If you are wondering how to reset your “internal clock” so that you get enough rest and benefit from your sleep hours, you will find numerous apps online through which you can easily monitor and record your sleep routine automatically.
2. Sleep on your back and use a good quality pillowcase. It makes sense that the position of your face while you sleep matters for the health of your skin. Sleeping on a rough cotton surface can irritate your skin and compress your face for many hours each time you sleep, resulting in wrinkles and fine lines. While most wrinkles are caused by the expressions we make while we are awake, those on the face and chest can result from the postures we assume when we sleep.
It is therefore important not to overlook how we treat our skin during our sleeping hours. While sleep gives our skin a glow or even a youthful appearance, its benefits are generally about maintaining and restoring health to the body, mind and skin for years to come… And remember that a few wrinkles never hurt anyone!
