Is sleeping linked to your skin's health?
We have all heard people talking about needing their "beauty sleep," but is it just a turn of phrase or is there any scientific evidence behind it? In this article we will uncover the science of how proper sleep can actually be a "fountain of youth" for your skin. Good sleep in this case is classed as more than six hours a night.
1) Fewer wrinkles and fine lines
While you sleep, your body is busy making collagen. Collagen is an important protein in the body that is responsible for keeping your skin tight and healthy. As we age, our bodies make less collagen causing wrinkles and sagging skin.
If you aren't getting enough sleep, your body won't have enough time to replenish the collagen it needs to keep your skin tight and the signs of aging will be more noticeable.
2) Glowing skin
Another important job your body does while you sleep is create new cells that heal your skin from the UV damage it has experienced throughout the day.
In addition, your body increases its blood flow to your skin while you sleep, which will leave you with a glowing and healthy complexion when you wake up.
3) Less puffy eyes
Puffy eyes are caused by fluid retention around the eyes. Lack of sleep increases this retention, which is why your eyes tend to get noticeably puffy when you lack sleep. Sleeping with your head at a more elevated angle (e.g. using an extra pillow or an ergonomic pillow) will also help to stop the fluid from pooling around your eyes.
Lack of sleep can also cause dark circles under your eyes due to poor blood flow when sleep deprived. What you are seeing when you have dark circles is the blood that is visible underneath the thin under-eye skin. While dark circles can be hereditary, lack of sleep can accentuate it further.
What if I can't get enough sleep?
Everyone goes through periods in their life where getting a full night's sleep seems like a distant dream. Whether it's because of stress or just life getting in the way, getting enough sleep sometimes isn't possible. So does this mean that you are destined to have more wrinkles, dull skin, and puffy eyes? Thankfully, no!
There are supplements available that can help your skin protect itself from all those late nights (or very early mornings). Lilium, for example, contains several minerals and vitamins that help hydrate your skin and replenish all the nutrients you lose from lack of sleep
- collagen - help to reduce your wrinkles by topping up the collagen production you have lost
- biotin - helps to keep your skin hydrated and protects it from damage
- selenium - fights the inflammation that can lead to collagen loss
- folate - a powerful antioxidant that can protect your skin from damage
- Curcumin BioBDMC - this is a patented technology that blocks a specific protein that can cause inflammatory damage
- zinc - anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial
All of these ingredients together will help to plug the gaps that your body misses in taking care of your skin when you aren't getting enough sleep. And you can look forward to not having to field what feels like a thousand comments a day about how you "look so tired"!