We hear the ‘you’ve got to get eight hours of sleep a night’ mantra constantly. It is no secret that getting adequate sleep per night will enhance almost every aspect of your life, from anxiety to brain performance, but sometimes even that is not enough to convince us to turn off Netflix earlier. But what if we told you that getting enough sleep will also give you a better glow?
The skin and sleep connection is, in fact, very real, so you can add it to the never ending list of why you should prioritise your sleep each night. If you’re still not convinced, here is a run down on why sleep is crucial for your skin health and ways to improve both…
The science of sleep and skin health
Sleep isn’t just for your brain; it’s crucial for your skin, too. Nighttime is when your skin shifts into recovery mode, working hard to repair and renew itself after a day spent battling environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution. It’s like nature’s spa session, and it’s all happening while you snooze. The main change that happens while we sleep is that our body increases the production of collagen, something you’ve probably heard of more than once. But if you didn’t know, collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm, elastic and youthful.
The effects of sleep deprivation on the skin
A lot of negative things can happen to our skin when we skimp on sleep, but here are a few of the main changes you may notice when you’ve had a few late ones:
Dark circles and puffiness under the eyes
This tends to be the first thing people notice when they’re tired, the skin around their eyes slowly starts to resemble the craters of the moon. This is because when you don’t get enough sleep, the blood vessels under the thin, delicate skin around your eyes dilate, leading to a darker appearance. Additionally, fluid retention from lying flat all night can create puffiness, leaving your eyes looking swollen and tired.
While sleep is the only real way you can mitigate these effects, having a good hydrating eye cream on hand for when disaster strikes (or a few late ones are unavoidable) is key. To combat puffiness you can also gently massage the area with your ring finger in circular motions to encourage lymphatic drainage.
The Skinsmiths PRO Collagen Eye Complex is the perfect product to have when you’re not getting enough beauty sleep. Formulated with collagen-promoting retinol and vitamin C this products firms and strengthens the skin around the eyes to diminish the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Dull or tired looking skin
Sleep is your body’s time to repair and rejuvenate, including boosting blood flow to your skin. When we don’t get enough rest, circulation slows, and your complexion can appear dull, lifeless, and pale. This lack of vibrancy is especially noticeable after prolonged sleep deprivation, as the skin struggles to regenerate itself properly, leading to a lacklustre appearance and skin with noticeably less spark.
If this happens, focus on boosting your skin's radiance through exfoliation. While traditional exfoliants work well, a peel can speed up the process and lead to faster and more effective results in less time, which can be particularly helpful for those under a time crunch.
The Skinsmiths AHA/BHA Peel will get your skin from woe to wow in no time. This product will peel and reset your skin overnight to reveal your best skin.
Breakouts and inflammation
When you skimp on sleep, your body produces more cortisol, which in case your not familiar, is also known as the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels can disrupt your skin’s barrier function, making it more prone to inflammation, redness, and breakouts. Hormonal fluctuations from chronic stress also exacerbate acne, creating a vicious cycle for your skin.
Niacinaidmie is practically the skin barrier's best friend, and is your best armour against breakouts and inflammation. Picture niacinamide as your skin's protective shield. By fortifying the skin barrier, it reduces water loss, thereby enhancing moisture retention and resilience against environmental aggressors. This not only benefits dry, dehydrated skin but also alleviates redness and sensitivity, promoting a calmer complexion overall. The Skinsmiths PRO Strength Niacinamide incorporates all these benefits and more thanks to a few complimentary ingredients thrown in for good measure.
Loss of firmness
You can think of collagen and elastin as the building blocks of firm, youthful-looking skin. During sleep, your body produces collagen to repair damage from the day, so, sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels, which can break down these essential fibres. Over time, this leads to sagging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles.
While getting enough sleep is the ultimate combat to this, you can also do things to support your skin’s repair processes by using collagen-boosting products enriched with peptides and antioxidants. These ingredients work overnight to strengthen the skin and improve elasticity. Reach for a product like Skinsmiths Ultimate Renewal Serum which is packed to the brim with hydrating ingredients and peptides that can act as a helping hand to rejuvenate the skin while we get our zzz’s.
Some more sleep and skin tips and tricks….
Cleanse before you crash
No judgement, we’ve all been there. You get home (sometimes after a few too many) and you are simply too exhausted to wash your face. Well, we are here to be your nagging mother and tell you that skipping your cleanse can undo a lot of your hard work. Throughout the day, your skin collects dirt, oil, and pollutants that can clog pores and cause breakouts. Even if you’re not wearing makeup, your skin still needs a proper cleanse…
Having a cleanser that you actually look forward to using can improve your likelihood of using it. The Skinsmiths Gentle Cream Cleanser is a silky emollient-rich formula that gently works to remove make up and daily impurities while also giving you a luxurious bit of you time while you’re in the shower (or at the sink, whatever does it for you).
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Your skin loses moisture as you sleep, so it’s essential to lock in hydration before bedtime. A good night cream or serum can work wonders to keep your skin plump and nourished. Look for products with hyaluronic acid, which holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, or ceramides, which help strengthen your skin’s barrier.
Don’t neglect your eyes
The skin around our eyes can be an afterthought for some people, but we’re here to tell you that they deserve their own bit of love. The delicate skin around your eyes is often the first to show signs of sleep deprivation. A good eye cream can help reduce puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines. Look for ingredients like caffeine (to de-puff) and peptides (to smooth and firm).
Try a silk pillowcase
If you’re prone to breakouts, you may want to look into investing in a silk pillowcase. While these may seem all fad and no function, the fabric of our pillow case can actually surprisingly play a huge impact on the health of our skin. Cotton pillowcases can pull and tug at your skin, contributing to wrinkles over time, whereas silk pillowcases are much gentler and help your skin retain moisture. It can be a very small change that has huge benefits for some people and you’ve hit a wall with your acne treatments, definitely worth looking into.
Keep your environment cool and dark
If you’re someone who tends to sleep well in a hotel room, this may be due to temperature control. Where we sleep, matters and a cool and dark room will help to regulate our body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) which makes it easier to fall into a deep, restorative sleep. While the hours count, the quality of sleep is equally important so investing in your sleep environment is worth it in the long run.
Consider blackout curtains, a fan or air conditioning, and even a sleep mask to create the ultimate sleep-friendly environment.
Sleep your way to better skin
As annoying as it is to admit, your mum was right, early nights really do pay off, and your skin has been quietly rooting for you to embrace your inner grandma all along. While we may like to think that beauty sleep is a fairy tale, those dark circles and dull complexion that we’ve been avoiding acknowledging are actually our skin's way of staging a rebellion against our late-night Netflix binges and coffee-fueled early mornings.
But here’s the good news: with a proper bedtime routine and the right products (hello, silk pillowcases and hydrating serums), you can smooth things over with your skin. So tonight, swap the midnight snack for a calming herbal tea, slather on that night cream like it’s a love letter to your face and hit the hay.
Your skin will thank you in the morning, and honestly, so will your mood. Beauty sleep? More like an act of self-love.
