Do your skin and sleep have a connection? You know that a good night’s sleep can help with feeling refreshed the morning after, but it is also crucial for better skin health. There’s plenty that goes on while you sleep, right from regeneration of skin cells to wrinkle formation! Want to know more? Here’s exactly what’s going on when you hit the sack at the end of the day.
Regenerative mode
Skin and sleep have a deep connection as far as the regeneration of skin cells go. Most skin cell growth and repair happens at night when cell division and repair peak. During this process, single skin cells divide and replace old cells with healthier ones. Starting from 11 pm onwards, this cell mitosis accelerates so the deeper sleep you are in at this stage, the higher your skin renewal! This is also why overnight creams and masks are great investments to make so that your skin gets all the powerful pushing it can while you snooze!
Like a sponge
Did you know that your skin is most likely to absorb skincare the best while you are asleep? During renewal mode skin gets maximum benefit from anti-ageing ingredients and this is why your nighttime skincare should include an arsenal of acids, sleeping masks, night creams and serums so that you get the best of every hour of sleep. You should also be looking at including Retinol and AHAs, which will promote skin resurfacing and renewal.
Cortisol levels, skin and sleep
When it is stressed, your brain will release a hormone called Cortisol. This can increase inflammation and cause cell damage leading to blemishes, dull and dry skin. Cortisol is also known to cause thinning of skin cells. This thinning of the skin can make blood vessels more visible under the eye area and result in dark circles. On the other hand, when we sleep, the body is in its most relaxed state and hence cortisol levels are low and in control. Skin also thickens while we are snoozing, so in comparison, the appearance of panda eyes is lesser.
Inflammation goes down
If you suffer from skin issues such as Rosacea or Psoriasis, a good night’s sleep can work wonders at repairing your skin. When you skimp on sleep, the inflammation can trigger a range of skin troubles such as Eczema, Rosacea and more. When your skin is going through a rough patch, make sure to also add a healthy dose of downtime along with the other skincare you invest in. It is called beauty sleep for a reason!
Dehydration and its link to skin and sleep
It may seem like your skin and sleep make a great partnership but not everything good happens when you hit your pillow! Skin sebum production peaks at midday, and there is lesser production at night. You also tend to lose more water overnight when you don’t have a protective layer of natural oils over your skin. This is why many advocate the use of a facial oil on top of your moisturiser to lock-in all that hydration overnight. Make sure to drink plenty of water before you sleep as well as when you wake up, to counter this nightly loss of hydration.
