The ‘Beautiful’ Benefits of Sleep
What’s your beauty secret? Perhaps you have a few. Is sleep one of them? Beauty sleep is no myth. Vast studies have found that when we are asleep, our body undergoes comprehensive repair and healing process that promotes youthful glow and combats ageing. Here are some amazing benefits of beauty sleep:
It promotes healthy, young-looking skin.
Here’s a piece of advice – for healthy skin, get some sleep. When you’re in your 20s, you can stay awake all night long and still maintain a beautiful, firm skin. But as we age, the effects of sleep deprivation to our skin and overall physical appearance get extra serious. New research by the University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Centre in Ohio, USA revealed that poor sleepers demonstrated increased signs of skin ageing, such as fine lines, uneven pigmentation and reduced skin elasticity. They also gave worse assessment of their skin and facial appearance than good sleepers. One possible reason for this is the progressive loss of cellular water retention. When you’re asleep, your body produces more collagen 1 which firms the epidermal or dermal junction in your skin to promote water retention.
It helps prevent ugly spots and blemishes.
Quality sleep is among the best antidotes to stress. Stress has been known to trigger the development of pimples and blackheads. When you are stressed, you suffer from hormonal imbalance, which results to a variety of physical conditions, including acne breakout.
Sleep promotes even skin tone.
Sleep encourages blood flow, so your skin receives enough supply of nutrients to stay healthy and glowing. Another thing, cellular renewal is fastest at night (especially during sleep), that’s why they say ‘night creams’ don’t really have beauty wonders.
It fights dark circles.
You probably know that sleepless nights can cause dark circles. That’s true. Basically, lack of sleep causes paleness of the skin, making the blood underneath the skin more visible and appears bluer or darker. However, even if you sleep well, you could still wake up with puffy eyes and dark circles if you are sleeping on an awkward position, as it may cause constriction of your blood vessels.
It helps fight weight gain.
Brains scans of people who lack quality sleep revealed that sleeplessness makes them think about junk food. According to the researchers from the UC Berkeley, sleeplessness reduces the higher order powers of our brain and increases responses in the more primitive areas, leading to poor food choices.
Sleep makes you look better.
Researchers in Sweden asked the study participants to look at pictures of 23 healthy, sleep deprived adults. Results showed that well-rested people appeared less healthy, more tired and less attractive.
Tips for Beauty Sleep
Your sleeping position is something you should take into consideration. It is best to lie on your back but if it’s not possible, use a U-shaped pillow around your neck so you don’t turn in your sleep. Also, choose satin pillowcases instead of the ones made from cotton. Face slides against the satin pillowcase so it doesn’t crunch against it, preventing sleep lines that may lead to wrinkles over time. Also, if you’re craving for a midnight snack, opt for a fruit instead of salty snacks as they can give you a swollen face in the morning. Salt causes your skin to retain fluid, so you experience puffiness. And even though a glass of wine sounds like a perfect way to end the day, it can cause you dry skin and large visible pores. So cut back on alcohol and drink plenty of water instead.
Make sure to wash your face before going to bed to get rid of blemish-causing dirt. Next, apply moisturiser to keep your skin soft and hydrated overnight. And for a deep, restful slumber, take a warm bath, a great stress-reliever.
Can you suggest more tips to promote good sleep? Feel free to post a comment below.
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