Nobody needs to tell us twice to have a good night's sleep, but the truth is that many of us aren't getting the recommended eight hours of sleep every night.
Sleep has been proven to lower stress levels, reduce inflammation, and help us maintain a healthy mind and body.
But if the thought of your own well-being doesn't tempt you to turn off Netflix earlier, maybe learning about how sleep can give you a better glow.
Your skin cells regenerate
After a long day of fighting off UV rays, pollution, sweat, and grime, your skin is desperate for some rest.
While we’re sleeping, our skin switches into recovery mode and it’s an important time of repair and regeneration. In fact, the regeneration process at night can be up to three times faster than during the day.
Your skin is more receptive to products
There's a reason anti-aging products are recommended to be applied at night. The nightly renewal process is when you will get the most benefits from your anti-aging ingredients, and using the right products is imperative for ensuring the renewal process took place.
Before bedtime, you should be applying the 'heavy-duty' ingredients such as retinol, as these ingredients will absorb into the skin and do all the work for you overnight.
Your body will produce more collagen
Collagen is key for keeping the skin plump and smooth. And while some creams and serums are claiming to boost its production, you can help boost your collagen during your sleep.
Once you fall asleep, your body starts producing growth hormones. These growth hormones ensure that your skin is producing enough collagen, which helps your skin to remain tight and bouncy and also allows your skin to repair acne and scarring across your body.
Collagen does not only benefit your skin, but it also helps to improve and strengthen the hair and nails.
Your skin is able to de-stress
Sleep isn't just a stress-reliever for your mind and body, but your skin too.
A lack of sleep increases your cortisol levels (the stress hormone), putting your skin in a pro-inflammatory state. This can mean sullen-looking skin and puffiness around the eyes.
But getting eight hours of sleep per night, you'll limit your cortisol levels and prevent these symptoms from appearing.
You're giving your skin an environmental break
Sun exposure, pollution, and blue light are just some of the everyday elements our skin is exposed to. But at night, all of these are eliminated.
In the comfort of your bedroom, there is no UV damage, no smog, or temperature changes. In this clean environment, your skin is able to breathe and have some downtime against those environmental factors.
So put down the phone, switch off the TV, and give your skin a good eight-hour break.
