SKINCARE ADVICE
How Sleep Affects Skin

Beauty Sleep: How Sleep Affects Skin

Beauty sleep is no myth; it refers to how our skin and body recovers from the day. A bad night’s sleep can set a sour tone for the day ahead, but what’s often misunderstood is how sleep affects skin and its appearance. From assisting with the production of collagen (often called the ‘youth protein’) to reducing the occurrence of dark under eye circles and even improving mood, it’s no wonder why so many of us are forgoing late night plans to clock some well-deserved zzz’s.

The question is: can lack of sleep affect your skin? Ahead, learn the meaning behind beauty sleep and how you can maximise yours for healthier-looking skin.

How sleep affects skin

There are many important connections between sleep and the health of your skin and body. A restful night of slumber improves brain performance and can affect your mood … but lack of sleep can also affect your skin. In terms of how long beauty sleep should be, The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults try to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.¹ A healthy amount of sleep is vital for brain plasticity, or the brain’s ability to adapt to input. Sleep too little, and the brain struggles to process what we’ve learned during the day. Immunity can also be compromised, and not getting an adequate amount of sleep can raise the risk of a whole host of health concerns. Ahead, discover the benefits of beauty sleep.
¹https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29073412/

Beauty sleep helps with cell growth and repair

As we sleep, our bodies recover from the day’s activities – and this goes for your skin, your muscles and your brain. During the various sleep states our skin’s blood flow increases, as does the production of proteins that encourage cell growth and repair (such as collagen, which deep sleep is critical for). This in turn helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. So, does sleeping keep you young? In some ways, yes! While we can’t reverse signs of ageing, getting an ample amount of sleep each night can help skin to recover overnight. It’s as simple as prioritising your nightly beauty sleep over late nights.

Beauty sleep often results in fewer blemishes

If you consistently get less than seven hours of beauty sleep, not only will you feel tired, but skin can become unbalanced. This can lead to inflammation, breakouts and dryness – among other skin issues. On the other hand, getting enough shut-eye (around 8 hours for most people) can help to reduce blemishes such as spots, marks or discolorations. In fact, research suggests that poor sleep quality may impair the integrity of the skin,² which is why putting those extra hours of beauty sleep first can help to unlock younger-looking, healthier skin.

²https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ced.12455

Beauty sleep can reduce under-eye circles

Dark under-eye circles are sometimes linked to genetics, ageing or medical conditions such as anaemia. However, some people may notice more prominent dark under-eye circles when they are sleep deprived, or when experiencing low-quality sleep. When we get less than the recommended amount of sleep, the oxygen in the eyes decreases, making blood vessels dilate and sometimes resulting in bloodshot eyes. The blood vessels can then darken and become more obvious, leading to those dark circles we all know. Additionally, a lack of sleep can also make skin tone look pale or ashy, which can highlight the dark appearance of under-eye circles.

Beauty sleep can improve your mood

Sleep and mood are intrinsically linked. Aside from consolidating memories while you sleep and helping to improve recall, your brain also processes emotions overnight. Poor or inadequate sleep can cause irritability and stress, while chronic lack of sleep or insomnia can also impact mental health. So, if you want to wake up on the right side of the bed, ensure you’re turning out the lights at a respectable hour and practising good sleep hygiene. The important thing is consistency: try to go to sleep around the same time each night.

Beauty sleep tips

Improving your sleep can be challenging for many individuals. Therefore, cultivating healthy sleep habits, known as sleep hygiene, is crucial. To help you nod off to sleep quicker, here are some tips that may enhance your beauty sleep.

Set the mood: embracing a dark, quiet and a relaxing bedroom can lay the groundwork for a great night’s beauty sleep. You can also ensure the temperature is comfortable.

Use silk pillowcases: silk absorbs less moisture than other bedding materials, like cotton. It allows the skin to retain more moisture, helping to prevent dry or itchy skin, and has also been shown to help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Switch off electrics before bed: screen time directly before bed is not conducive to a good night’s sleep. To achieve that quality shut-eye, close and put away all electronic devices at least 30-60 minutes before your head hits the pillow.

Enhance sleep environment: create a calming space that you look forward to entering before sleeping. You could burn a lavender-scented candle or use a diffuser before bed, so your body associates the scent with bedtime. You can also invest in comfortable pillows and breathable bedding.

Adopt a dedicated nighttime skin routine: want to wake up with bright and glowy skin? A nighttime skin routine allows you to wind down from the day, all the while absorbing nutrients into your skin as you sleep. This is the perfect time to use your rich and nourishing skincare products.

Nighttime beauty sleep skin routine

Wake up with younger-looking skin with a routine that works overtime (and overnight) thanks to the Midnight Recovery collection.

Step 1: melt away dirt, makeup and impurities with the gentle Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil. A lightweight makeup-removing oil cleanser, this non-comedogenic formula leaves skin feeling soft and replenished and is suitable for dry, oily and sensitive skin.

Step 2: formulated with a botanical blend of lavender essential oil, squalane and evening primrose oil, the beloved Midnight Recovery Concentrate facial oil helps to support skin overnight for radiant, younger-looking skin by sunrise.

Step 3: the ultra-luxe Midnight Recovery Omega Rich Cloud Cream is a 98.6% naturally derived* night cream. It is infused with botanicals rich in Omega 3 and 6 that help to strengthen the skin moisture barrier and promote a feeling of suppleness and nourishment to the skin by morning.

Step 4: enriched with butcher’s broom extract, lavender essential oil and evening primrose oil, the Midnight Recovery Eye cream helps to reduce the appearance of dark under-eye circles and eye puffiness while you sleep.

*We consider ingredients to be naturally derived if they retain more than 50% of their molecular structure after being processed from a natural source.

Now that you know how sleep affects skin, discover how to build a nighttime skincare routine.