The term beauty sleep first came about in 1828. At the time, it was simply defined as sleep before midnight.
Now nighttime skincare routines are a heavily marketed ritual that plenty of women subscribe to with the use of night creams, satin pillowcases, and other products. But does sleep really affect your beauty? And does applying these products at before bed make a real difference?
In this article, we’ll dive into the popular phrase and unlock the truth behind it. Follow along for all the real facts.
Is Beauty Sleep a Real Thing?
Understanding the term beauty sleep is all about understanding what happens to your body during the late night hours while you’re catching Zs. While you are asleep, your body is going through a repair and recovery that boasts tons of benefits.
The main point is you need to make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Ideally, between 7 and 9 hours each night will help you reap the most benefits.
Also, keep in mind that anything less than 6 hours can negatively affect the way you look. If you have a hard time taking in the right amount, there are several factors that can go into play such as:
- Eating a big meal before bed
- Taking long naps throughout the day
- Drinking alcohol or coffee before bed
- A bedroom temperature that’s too high or low
The comfort of your bed is another major sleep interrupter. You might be able to resolve it by changing the types of pillows you use, adding a mattress pad, or trying a new mattress, like the Leesa Mattress altogether.
Benefits of Beauty Sleep
1. Your Body Heals Itself
When you are in the deep phases of sleep, your body pumps out growth hormone. This hormone repairs the small damages that our day to day lives cause.
Think on the lines of pollution and sun exposure. Don’t think of this as a reason to skip washing your face at night or to go without sunscreen during the day.
So, how does growth hormone help you look better? It repairs damage by creating new cells. This is why after you’ve had a good night’s sleep you might notice your complexion is brighter, more vibrant, and fresher looking.
To speed up your body’s natural process, use a night cream.
2. You May Have a Healthier Body Weight
According to a study from the University of Chicago, people who dieted and slept well loss 55% more fat than those who were sleep-deprived. This could be true for a variety of reasons.
But one major fact is that when you aren’t well rested, your body tends to create more hormones that make you feel hungry. So, losing sleep often causes people to snack more.
And of course, our bodies crave sugar when we need a little boost which is known to pack the pounds on.
3. Fewer Wrinkles
When you’re asleep, your body produces more collagen as part of the regeneration and repair processes. The more collagen that’s present, the younger and plumper your skin looks which is why you’ll find it as an active ingredient in a lot of beauty products.
4. Better Hair
Some of the hair properties we complain most about are caused by lack of sleep. These include breakage, damage, and hair loss.
Our hair follicles get their nutrients, minerals, and vitamins from our blood flow. Since our blood flow decreases when we aren’t sleeping enough, our hair gets less of the food it needs. This stunts its growth.
Not only that, not getting enough sleep causes stress on the body. Stress increases the hormone cortisol which can make you lose your hair. For an added hair bonus, sleep on a satin pillowcase.
5. You’ll Actually Look Happier
Did you know that not getting enough sleep can cause the corners of your mouth to droop into a frown? When you’re tired, your face makes subtle changes that cause you to frown and furrow your brow more often.
But that isn’t all. You can end up with eyes that are swollen and red in color with dark circles around them and sagging eyelids. These factors not only make you look older, they make you look upset.
This is also why people might say things like “You look tired.”
6. Your Beauty Products Are More Powerful
When you are asleep, your skin doesn’t have to focus on defending itself from elements like the sun and free radicals (pollutants and harmful chemicals in the environment). Your blood flow is also more consistent during this time.
But on the downside, your skin loses more water while you’re asleep than it does when you’re up and about.
So, when you use highly moisturizing products before bed, you will help your skin retain its moisture throughout the night. The skin also consumes these products better while you rest.
7. You Will Smile More Often
Not sleeping enough can hinder your mood. People are usually cranky after restless nights and when these types of nights are repeated, they can end up with depression.
The stress and aggravation from not getting proper sleep is known to age people. After all, everybody knows that old adage, it takes more muscles to frown.
There’s More Where That Came From!
So, the verdict is in. Beauty sleep isn’t just a myth we’ve heard repeated throughout our lives. It’s backed by science and sleeping well each night comes with its own set of health and emotional benefits.
Want to continue looking your best? Keep reading our blog. We’ve got some of the best hair, skin, and clothing advice you can find.
