Is Beauty Sleep an Actual Thing?
By Wander Beauty | Oct 20, 2022
Wear your sunscreen, drink at least eight glasses of water a day, get seven to nine hours of sleep a night – these are things we all know (or have repeatedly been told). But can such simple practices really make a difference to your health and appearance?
The short answer is: yes! Each day, your skin acts as a protective barrier to light, pollution, bacteria, weather conditions, and more. Beauty sleep gives your skin the chance to heal, repair, and regenerate. While we regularly discuss the importance of sunscreen and hydration, today we’re taking a look at sleep and why it's so essential to your beauty regime.
What is beauty sleep?
During deep sleep, your body enters recovery mode: it produces growth hormones which repair tissue and create new skin cells, blood flow to the skin is increased, and stress hormones are reduced. These positive impacts are why we refer to it as beauty sleep.
On the other end of the equation, you have panda eyes, a puffy face, and dull skin. These are just a few of the ways sleep deprivation can affect you. Less than seven hours of sleep per night may have wide-ranging effects not only on the way you look but on your cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. This can result in unwanted weight fluctuations, increased symptoms of anxiety and depression, hormonal disturbances, and a whole host of other symptoms. According to studies done at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, participants who got only five hours of sleep a night, as opposed to those that got eight hours, were observed to have more swollen eyes and dark circles under the eye, more wrinkles, and look sadder. They also rated themselves as less attractive and were viewed by others as less healthy.
Poor sleep quality can lead to the following changes in your appearance:
- Dehydration and dry skin
- Under eye circles and puffiness
- Increased fine lines and wrinkles
- Sagging skin
- Hair loss and breakage
Why you need your beauty sleep
Now that we’ve discussed how the lack of beauty sleep can affect you, let's take a look at why beauty sleep is important for skin care.
1. Anti-aging effects
Your body produces the greatest amount of melatonin between the hours of 10:00 pm and 2:00 am. This hormone makes you sleepy and triggers the release of growth hormones responsible for collagen synthesis. Collagen is what keeps your skin looking youthful and plump. A loss of collagen leads to fine lines and wrinkles, as well as sagging skin. Getting only five hours of sleep per night, rather than seven, could lead to twice as many fine lines, according to Patricia Wexler, a New York-based dermatologist.
Furthermore, inadequate sleep raises your cortisol levels, which triggers inflammation. This makes your skin more sensitive and prone to acne and allergic reactions. Naturally, good sleep has the opposite effect – it can boost collagen production and lower cortisol levels, leading to healthy, happy skin.
2. A glowing complexion
Poor quality sleep or sleep deprivation results in a decrease in blood flow to the skin surrounding the face. This results in lower oxygen levels in the blood, which may make your skin appear dull, and cause blotches, pigmentation, and a droop to the eyes and corners of the mouth. When your body lacks sleep, the blood vessels around your eyes also tend to dilate, causing dark circles and puffiness. Furthermore, when you're tired, your facial expressions change in subtle but consistent ways, making it even more obvious that you're sleep-deprived.
Adequate sleep, on the other hand, boosts blood flow which leads to natural radiance. Cell growth is faster during sleep, which leads to greater skin renewal and restoration. Vitamin C concentrates, such as the Sight C-er Vitamin C Concentrate, may boost your glow, but so can adequate sleep!<product>1</product>
3. Improved hair quality
Another effect of decreased blood flow due to inadequate zzz’s can be seen in the quality of your hair. Less blood flow to the scalp results in a limited delivery of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals as well as decreased levels of growth hormones necessary for hair growth and health. An increase in cortisol production, which happens when your stress levels rise due to improper sleep, may also result in hair loss. Good sleep means proper protein synthesis and healthier hormones, both of which will positively impact your hair’s growth and appearance.
4. Weight management
A good night's rest can help you maintain a healthy weight and fast metabolism. Ghrelin and leptin, your appetite-controlling hormones, are affected by sleep duration and quality; when you don't get adequate rest, you end up craving high-calorie foods. You’re also less likely to stick to a healthy exercise program when you’re tired. Adequate sleep regulates the metabolism and circadian rhythms and moderates your appetite and mood, making weight management far easier.
5. Balanced skin pH and hydration levels
Healthy skin has a pH level that ranges between 4 and 6. Lack of sleep may cause the skin to become more alkaline, making it harder to produce the moisture that it needs. This can result in dry, flaky skin, a dull complexion, increased sensitivity to sun damage, as well as increased acne, redness, and wrinkles. Research shows that sleep restriction lasting as little as two nights can significantly affect hydration and trans-epidermal water loss, leading to noticeable changes in the skin.
An evening routine for good sleep and beautiful skin
Your evening skincare routine begins a few hours before bed with a reduction of blue light and other stimulants such as coffee. Use this time to wind down with family time, self-care and nourishing foods, scents, and herbal drinks.
Be sure to practice good skin care before sleep. This includes cleansing and moisturizing. Evening is also an ideal time to apply retinol-based products such as our Do Not Disturb Overnight Repair Concentrate, which helps your skin repair and regenerate while you sleep. <product>2</product>
Discover more ways to improve your sleep and reduce dark circles, and 5 Pick-Me-Ups for those (occasionally unavoidable) sleep-eluded days.
Stay gorgeous with Wander Beauty
Of course, good shut-eye isn't always guaranteed. On days your skin needs some extra TLC, Baggage Claim Rose Gold Eye Masks will give you a radiance boost, while a little concealer blended to perfection using the Round Trip Dual Ended Eyeshadow Brush will have you looking fresh in five!<product>3,4</product>
Discover more expert beauty and skincare tips from Wander Beauty.
Is Beauty Sleep an Actual Thing?
Wear your sunscreen, drink at least eight glasses of water a day, get seven to nine hours of sleep a night – these are things we all know (or have repeatedly been told). But can such simple practices really make a difference to your health and appearance?
The short answer is: yes! Each day, your skin acts as a protective barrier to light, pollution, bacteria, weather conditions, and more. Beauty sleep gives your skin the chance to heal, repair, and regenerate. While we regularly discuss the importance of sunscreen and hydration, today we’re taking a look at sleep and why it's so essential to your beauty regime.
What is beauty sleep?
During deep sleep, your body enters recovery mode: it produces growth hormones which repair tissue and create new skin cells, blood flow to the skin is increased, and stress hormones are reduced. These positive impacts are why we refer to it as beauty sleep.
On the other end of the equation, you have panda eyes, a puffy face, and dull skin. These are just a few of the ways sleep deprivation can affect you. Less than seven hours of sleep per night may have wide-ranging effects not only on the way you look but on your cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. This can result in unwanted weight fluctuations, increased symptoms of anxiety and depression, hormonal disturbances, and a whole host of other symptoms. According to studies done at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, participants who got only five hours of sleep a night, as opposed to those that got eight hours, were observed to have more swollen eyes and dark circles under the eye, more wrinkles, and look sadder. They also rated themselves as less attractive and were viewed by others as less healthy.
Poor sleep quality can lead to the following changes in your appearance:
- Dehydration and dry skin
- Under eye circles and puffiness
- Increased fine lines and wrinkles
- Sagging skin
- Hair loss and breakage
Why you need your beauty sleep
Now that we’ve discussed how the lack of beauty sleep can affect you, let's take a look at why beauty sleep is important for skin care.
1. Anti-aging effects
Your body produces the greatest amount of melatonin between the hours of 10:00 pm and 2:00 am. This hormone makes you sleepy and triggers the release of growth hormones responsible for collagen synthesis. Collagen is what keeps your skin looking youthful and plump. A loss of collagen leads to fine lines and wrinkles, as well as sagging skin. Getting only five hours of sleep per night, rather than seven, could lead to twice as many fine lines, according to Patricia Wexler, a New York-based dermatologist.
Furthermore, inadequate sleep raises your cortisol levels, which triggers inflammation. This makes your skin more sensitive and prone to acne and allergic reactions. Naturally, good sleep has the opposite effect – it can boost collagen production and lower cortisol levels, leading to healthy, happy skin.
2. A glowing complexion
Poor quality sleep or sleep deprivation results in a decrease in blood flow to the skin surrounding the face. This results in lower oxygen levels in the blood, which may make your skin appear dull, and cause blotches, pigmentation, and a droop to the eyes and corners of the mouth. When your body lacks sleep, the blood vessels around your eyes also tend to dilate, causing dark circles and puffiness. Furthermore, when you're tired, your facial expressions change in subtle but consistent ways, making it even more obvious that you're sleep-deprived.
Adequate sleep, on the other hand, boosts blood flow which leads to natural radiance. Cell growth is faster during sleep, which leads to greater skin renewal and restoration. Vitamin C concentrates, such as the Sight C-er Vitamin C Concentrate, may boost your glow, but so can adequate sleep!<product>1</product>
3. Improved hair quality
Another effect of decreased blood flow due to inadequate zzz’s can be seen in the quality of your hair. Less blood flow to the scalp results in a limited delivery of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals as well as decreased levels of growth hormones necessary for hair growth and health. An increase in cortisol production, which happens when your stress levels rise due to improper sleep, may also result in hair loss. Good sleep means proper protein synthesis and healthier hormones, both of which will positively impact your hair’s growth and appearance.
4. Weight management
A good night's rest can help you maintain a healthy weight and fast metabolism. Ghrelin and leptin, your appetite-controlling hormones, are affected by sleep duration and quality; when you don't get adequate rest, you end up craving high-calorie foods. You’re also less likely to stick to a healthy exercise program when you’re tired. Adequate sleep regulates the metabolism and circadian rhythms and moderates your appetite and mood, making weight management far easier.
5. Balanced skin pH and hydration levels
Healthy skin has a pH level that ranges between 4 and 6. Lack of sleep may cause the skin to become more alkaline, making it harder to produce the moisture that it needs. This can result in dry, flaky skin, a dull complexion, increased sensitivity to sun damage, as well as increased acne, redness, and wrinkles. Research shows that sleep restriction lasting as little as two nights can significantly affect hydration and trans-epidermal water loss, leading to noticeable changes in the skin.
An evening routine for good sleep and beautiful skin
Your evening skincare routine begins a few hours before bed with a reduction of blue light and other stimulants such as coffee. Use this time to wind down with family time, self-care and nourishing foods, scents, and herbal drinks.
Be sure to practice good skin care before sleep. This includes cleansing and moisturizing. Evening is also an ideal time to apply retinol-based products such as our Do Not Disturb Overnight Repair Concentrate, which helps your skin repair and regenerate while you sleep. <product>2</product>
Discover more ways to improve your sleep and reduce dark circles, and 5 Pick-Me-Ups for those (occasionally unavoidable) sleep-eluded days.
Stay gorgeous with Wander Beauty
Of course, good shut-eye isn't always guaranteed. On days your skin needs some extra TLC, Baggage Claim Rose Gold Eye Masks will give you a radiance boost, while a little concealer blended to perfection using the Round Trip Dual Ended Eyeshadow Brush will have you looking fresh in five!<product>3,4</product>
Discover more expert beauty and skincare tips from Wander Beauty.
