It’s common knowledge that when you don’t get enough sleep, you look tired. We’ve all heard of needing our ‘beauty sleep’, but does sleep actually impact the appearance of our skin?
In a word: yes.
When you sleep, your skin has the opportunity to restore itself from the day where it was exposed to pollution, germs, and the elements. It retains moisture and puts protective and healing measures in place which not only improve the appearance of your skin, but can also slow the signs of ageing.
Skin cells regenerate best at night and collagen is produced during this time. Collagen is a vital protein that helps your skin keep its elasticity and volume, so we want as much of it as we can get.
Blood flow is also increased at night, which is essential in the delivery of nutrients to the skin for recovery after exposure throughout the day. As a result, the less sleep you get, the less time your skin has to regenerate itself and perform these functions.
A study published in the Clinical and Experimental Dermatology journal discovered that people who slept seven to nine hours each night had more moisturised skin that could protect and heal itself from exposure to UV light in comparison to subjects who had five hours of sleep or less.
Therefore, it is super important to get a good night’s sleep to allow your skin time to recover and protect itself. It is also a good idea to refine your nighttime skincare routine, giving your skin that extra boost it needs to perform while you’re busy counting sheep.
