Getting enough ‘beauty sleep’ might feel like a dated cliche, but there is some truth behind it. In fact, beauty sleep is a very real thing and refers to how our skin, hair and body heal themselves from the day’s activities.

It is an essential part of any routine and ensuring you get the correct number of hours every night should be a big priority for all. With your favourite memory pillows and the comfiest PJs, securing your beauty sleep is easier than it sounds.

What is Beauty Sleep?

When we enter deep sleep, our bodies are able to start an important and necessary recovery process that allows them to produce vital growth hormones. These hormones are responsible for creating new cells that contribute to the healing of our skin, hair and muscles from any damage during the day.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should get seven to nine hours of rested sleep every night. Any number under six will noticeably impact your health and mood.

Benefits

There are many benefits to getting enough sleep, from increased moods, depuffed eyes and repaired skin. In addition, it allows your skin and hair to look healthier and more youthful, leaving you ready to take on the day.

Depuffed Eyes

If you suffer from puffy eyes and dark circles, you might feel like nothing you do solves the problem. However, if you have made your way through every cream and serum available without proper results, closely examine your sleep habits.

There is a chance you are not getting a sufficient amount of sleep, which often leads to swollen eyes and dark bags sitting directly below them. In addition, try to sleep on your back with your head slightly elevated. It will help to improve blood flow and prevent blood pooling under the eyes.

Healthier Skin

Poor sleep has a direct connection to poor skin health. When you are in a deep sleep, your body uses this time to heal itself from the environmental stresses that it faces daily. If you restrict this time, your body will not be able to heal properly and can further irritate any existing skin conditions.

Thankfully, with a handful of consecutive nights of proper rest, your skin will happily bounce back, with a healthy blood flow contributing to a more even skin tone.

Increased Weightloss

One study conducted in the research of adequate sleep found that those unable to maintain good sleeping patterns had a noticeable increase in the hormone Ghrelin. Known as the ‘hunger hormone’, it helps to stimulate appetite, promotes fat storage and ultimately causes you to eat more.

Sleep is a significant contributor to regulating your metabolism, meaning a lack of it will inhibit your ability to lose weight.

Happier Mood

We have all been there. A bad night of sleep and we wake up feeling irritated, worn out and grumpy. Your daily tasks suddenly feel significantly harder to complete, and the end of the day can’t come soon enough.

A loss of sleep will make your social interactions more complex, and those who have insomnia are ten times more likely to have clinical depression. Therefore, it is safe to assume that better sleep leads to a happier mood.

Fewer Wrinkles

If your never-ending skincare routine is not producing the results you are after, turn your focus to your sleeping patterns. As you sleep, the blood flowing to the epidermis increases. As this happens, your skin will start to build new collagen cells responsible for the prevention of sagging skin, ageing and wrinkles.

The more collagen produced, the better your skin will look and feel. For an extra helping hand, invest in a memory foam pillow. It will contour nicely to the face and lower your skin’s compression.

Healthier Hair

It is not just your skin that benefits from a night of rested sleep. Your hair will begin to show signs of healthy growth and fullness as sleep is needed for proper protein synthesis, which directly impacts the growth and appearance of your hair.

How to Get More Beauty Sleep

Falling asleep doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Some struggle to achieve an entire night on a regular basis. But practising a few helpful tips before bed can significantly boost your chances of getting proper rest.

Create a relaxing bedtime routine that you can use to unwind from the day, especially if it is stressful or overwhelming. Wash your face to get rid of make-up and impurities to give your skin a clean palette with which to work. It is vital to maintain proper hydration, but chugging a glass of water can cause you to get up multiple times a night to use the bathroom. Instead, eat water-dense foods like watermelon and cucumber.

Make sure your bedroom is a room of relaxation and comfort. You want it to signal to your body that it is time to sleep, so ensure you have a comfortable mattress, a pleasant room temperature and all bright lights are switched off. Finally, alcohol is an active contributor to insomnia. Consider switching to a different beverage before bed or try to have your drink at least four hours before bedtime.