Why beauty sleep isn’t a myth

We’ve all been told to get our beauty sleep, and while we may feel miles better after a decent kip compared to a sleepless night, does it actually affect our skin?

The answer is a big fat yes – and there’s a lot of science to back it up. Here’s six big reasons from Skyridge Medical Centre why you should aim to get eight hours a night.

1. Sleep reduces swelling and inflammation.
You’re not just imagining that under eye puffiness after a restless night. If you’re skimping on sleep, you may notice increased inflammation and excess fluid, called edema, in your body, and even some swelling. “When you get enough rest, your body has time to decrease inflammation and get rid of all the excess water that we carry under our eyes and in our legs,” Cohen says.

Lack of sleep can also cause your body to produce more of the stress hormone cortisol and this can lead to more inflammation.

Those with underlying skin conditions like acne, psoriasis or eczema should be especially mindful of their sleep habits since inadequate sleep may make their inflammation and irritation worse.

2. Catching more ZZZs slows down the aging process.
Sleep allows your skin to repair itself. Collagen is produced during sleep, and collagen is what prevents us from getting wrinkles. If we’re not getting proper sleep, then we’re going to have increased wrinkles and age more quickly. When you’re sleeping, collagen, the fibrous protein that gives structure to the skin, helps new skin cells grow and assists in getting rid of the dead ones. Collagen also helps hold your skin together, and prevents sagging and wrinkles.

3. Adequate sleep lowers anxiety levels and boosts your mood.
Poor sleep leads to anxiety in both women and men. A study from the Journal of Neuroscience reports that when you’re sleep deprived, you’re increasing your risk for “anticipatory anxiety,” anxiety you may feel before a big test, meeting or presentation.

The study also found that people who are naturally anxious and worry a lot, may worry even more if they don’t get enough sleep.

It’s no surprise that people who don’t sleep may be crabbier, too. If you’ve ever pulled an all-nighter, you probably noticed you’re a little short tempered the next day. When you lose sleep, you may appear more upset or angry in response to certain events because you’re irritable and less patient.

4. Hitting the hay increases fat burn.
The rumors are true: when you’re in slow wave sleep, or a deep sleep, your body is burning fat. Those who sleep less than five hours a night are almost a third more likely to gain weight than those who get seven or more hours of sleep each night.

When you’re tired, your body produces more ghrelin, a hormone that makes you hungry, and decreases its production of leptin, a hormone that signals satisfaction.

When you’re tired during the day, you’re going to snack more which leads to excessive calories and more food consumption overall.

5. A successful night of sleep will boost your memory.
Adequate sleep may consolidate your memory. When you’re sleeping, your brain has time to sort things out. People who don’t sleep well have a very difficult time with memory and concentration. A good night’s sleep allows the brain to solidify memories and strengthen the connection between brain cells. That way, information can shift from one area of the brain to another.

6. It promotes good behavior and lessens bad habits.
When you’re sleep deprived, there’s a higher chance you’ll regress to bad habits. When we’re tired, we do things to try and keep us up like snacking or smoking.

And tired adolescents can especially pick up poor routines without a good night’s sleep. Some studies in adolescents report that kids who aren’t getting good quality sleep are more likely to use drugs or alcohol,” says Cohen. Kids in high school and college may see poorer grades and behavioral problems secondary to attention and memory deficits from sleep deprivation.

And while you’re catching up on your beauty sleep, make sure you’ve applied some hardworking night cream. We love Dr. Spiller Biomimetic Skin Care Propolis Night Cream – a rich cream containing Propolis which is claimed to be the only known antibiotic-like substance that acne bacteria are unable to build a resistance to it. Helps to balance and normalize problem skin.

With its oil base, this product is best suited for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin. A rich cream containing Propolis which is claimed to be the only known antibiotic-like substance that acne bacteria are unable to build a resistance to it. Helps to balance and normalize problem skin.