Are You Getting Your Beauty Sleep?
Beauty sleep, real deep slumber is nature’s best defence against skin ageing. Therefore, one must get six-eight hours of beauty sleep every night. The importance of getting the right amount of sleep, can’t be stressed upon enough. Research has shown that there is a direct correlation between the number of hours you sleep and how your skin looks and feels.
As your body rests, the skin repairs itself. When you slip into the second phase of your sleep at night – what we call the delta phase, your hormone levels are at their peak and that’s when cell repair takes place. So what happens really is that, any damage to the collagen and elastin under your skin that might have taken place due to say, free radicals can be repaired as you sleep. Free radicals, as you may know, is one of the biggest culprits in premature ageing.
If you want glowing skin, hit the bed every night at around the same time and sleep. Give your skin cells time to rest, repair. and restore. If it’s only five hours you can manage every night, then it’s better to sleep early and wake up early than to sleep late and wake up later.
Deep Sleep = Radiant Complexion
Lack of sleep constricts the blood vessels on your tace. It looks dull and lacks lustre. Sleep actually helps in collagen production. And you need loads of that for supple and elastic skin. If you feel a tautness in your skin when you wake up, it is because your skin loses hydration at night when you sleep. All that repair work underneath tends to pull out water from the top layer, that is it your air conditioner spares some.
Research has shown that there is a direct correlation between the number of hours you sleep and how your skin looks and feels
To Do
Drink at least a glass of water before going to bed and apply a hydrating moisturizer to ensure that your skin does not lose hydration from the outside. Deep sleep plus a vitamin enriched night cream will give you supple, line-free skin.
You can also actually help your skin in its repairing efforts by adding some extra dose of vitamins and essential skin actives. And when you wake up your skin will thank you for it. Deep sleep combined with anti-wrinkle under eye cream will give you smooth toned skin and clear sparkling eyes.
You may have noticed that after a good night’s sleep your eyes look bright and the under eye area looks smooth and toned. So, there is nothing like a good night’s sleep to fight puffy eyes and dark circles.
Indian girls tend to suffer from uneven skin tone, especially under the eyes and this is something you can take care of as you sleep as a little care goes a long way.
Buy a lightening under eye cream and look for ingredients like liquorice and Vitamin E. Don’t rub, but dab the cream in a circular motion around the area. Go to sleep and wake up with prettier eyes. Go low on salt after sunset. You can also put two pillows to prop yourself up. Also, sleep on your back and not on your sides or stomach.
Pre-Sleep Routine
- Remove make-up and cleanse your tace with a cleanser. Use soft cotton pads to wipe away the dirt.
- Use f acewash to wash off the residue. Exfoliate it you feel the need.
- Go for deep cleansing shower/bath with exfoliating body wash.
- Use a muslin cloth/towel to dab your face and body. It retains water in the skin without leaving it wet.
- Put on your under eye cream, dab and leave it to soak into the skin.
- Apply an AHA- based hand and body lotion. Slather it on nicely. Massage gently till the lotion soaks in. Apply your foot cream as well.
- Massage a rich night cream all over your face and neck in an upward and circular motion.
- Drink a glass of warm water before going to bed.
If you want glowing skin, hit the bed every night at around the same time and sleep. Give your skin cells time to rest, repair, and restore
The Sleep Pattern
First Three Hours: It is the deepest sleep hours. Body’s growth hormones that are crucial for repairs of hair and skin are produced during this time.
Middle Two Hours: Deep sleep is replaced by rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. A hormone called melatonin increases which is a skin protecting antioxidant.
Last Three Hours: These hours are the REM sleep hours. Our body’s skin’s temperature reaches its lowest point and muscles relax. It gives the skin its deepest recovery.