Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Is there such a thing as beauty sleep?



The great news is that beauty sleep is real and what's even better is it’s free.

The way people perceive beauty varies by culture but from a facial perspective the dimensions that are most often attributed to beauty are seen as being symmetry of features, larger eyes, as well as clear & healthy looking skin.

You'll have already noticed that when you don’t get enough sleep, it shows on your face. Tired skin sags and loses its luster. Lack of sleep causes blood vessels to dilate, causing the dark circles around the eyes. Sleepily rubbing your eyes doesn't help the appearance of those dark rings.

Not enough good quality sleep can also make you feel more stressed, and everyone can see that kind of tension in your face. Not such a great look.

If you're up late boozing that's not great news for your skin either. Alcohol affects sleep quality, leaving you with bags under your eyes.

So actually the "beauty" in beauty sleep mainly shows itself as fresh healthy looking, clear skin on your face and around your eyes.

Why You Need Your Beauty Sleep?
Your skin, and the rest of your body, goes into repair mode when you sleep. While you sleep, your skin renews itself. New skin cells grow and replace older cells. It's all going through a process of repairing and restoring whilst you are in the land of nod.

It's also a time when all kinds of hormonal and metabolic changes happen in the body, including your skin. A lack of sleep can disrupt those processes.

Sleep Repair for Tired Skin
The good thing about the skin is that it can recover quite quickly. Get a good night's sleep tonight and tomorrow, you’ll look and feel fresher and those around you may even notice how well rested you look.

How much sleep do you need? Experts say that seven to nine hours of beauty rest every night should do the trick.

Try these simple sleep tips for a more beautiful night's rest:

1      Start by developing a calm relaxing bedtime ritual and don’t go to bed dehydrated.
2      Get into good sleep habits. Whenever possible go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
3      If you can manage it, become a back sleeper. Side or front sleeping presses your face into the pillow, creating fine lines and wrinkles when you wake up.
4      A natural cotton pillowcase with a higher thread count or a silk pillowcase is kinder to your skin.


Like diet and exercise, sleep deserves your care and respect. Think of sleep as a source of renewal and health, and not just something you have to do. 

Of course getting a great night’s sleep is not going to make you beautiful overnight, but it will help you to look and feel at your best.