A good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health, and enjoying good health is the biggest contributor to achieving natural beauty. Some even say that routinely enjoying plenty of sleep can turn back the clock. While there are many alternative remedies which promise to replenish dull and tired skin, there is no substitute for a good night’s sleep. So why are so many of us sleeping less, and what damage are we doing to ourselves to as a result? We take a look at why beauty sleep is so important and how to get a good night’s rest every night of the week.
Sleep really does play an important role in healthy skin
We all know that leading a balanced lifestyle is essential to maintaining a happy and healthy life, but we often overlook the benefits for our skin. Healthy, clear skin requires a good PH balance and cutting back on essential sleep can disrupt your skin’s natural PH levels. When you’re running low on sleep your skin becomes more alkaline and often has a harder job maintaining moisture levels. For anyone who has experienced dry skin, you will know how uncomfortable dry and irritated skin can be. Continually subjecting your skin to these alkaline conditions can leave you with an uneven appearance and can even stimulate breakouts.
The best thing we can do to wind back time is to give ourselves between 7 and 9 hours sleep each night. A proper night’s sleep is the best anti-ageing ‘product’ available to us, not only vital to our health but also vital to the way we look. Sleep is essential to many of our vital functions, including our natural cell regeneration process. Throughout a typical day, we expose our bodies frequently to damaging elements. Sunlight, processed food and drink, household products, personal care products and even stress or simply negative emotions can all be sources of harsh toxins. As we damage different cells throughout the day, our bodies constantly work to repair and replace damaged cells with healthy new ones. Skin cell regeneration becomes more active throughout our sleep. By reducing the amount of sleep we give ourselves, we, in turn, reduce the time we are giving our bodies to replace all those damaged skin cells.
Top tips for getting quality beauty sleep
If you’ve ever hit the pillow only to lie awake tossing and turning, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to help improve your bedtime routine. Getting regular exercise can work wonders on the mind and the body. Cortisol prepares us for physical action. Incorporating a regular exercise routine can utilise this stress hormone and stimulate the release of endorphins and dopamine, giving you a natural high.
Reducing the amount of caffeine you consume can have a positive effect on your sleep. Have you ever wondered what wakes you up in the morning? It is the elevation in cortisol levels which occurs naturally every day. Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to release more cortisol, giving us that wide awake feeling. Excessive cortisol is not optimal and to add to the problem, both caffeine and cortisol dehydrate the skin creating a double whammy for skin health.
Putting down your gadgets down an hour before bedtime is crucial for a good night’s sleep. The self-luminous light emitted from electronic devices stimulates brain activity and suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin. These factors prevent tiredness from taking you off to sleep. Try turning your bedroom into your sanctuary. Low lighting, relaxing music, a good book and a luxuriously comfortable bed will help your body relax and ready it’s self for a restful night.
Any level of discomfort at night will disturb your sleep cycle and prevent you from getting the rest you need. There are many different types of mattresses, all with different support systems and feels. Researching and understanding the different technologies available can help you in selecting the best mattress for you. Does the movement of your partner at night cause you disturbance? Do you suffer from aches and pains when you wake in the morning? Do you find yourself waking up too warm in the middle of the night? Fortunately, Sleepyhead has developed a mattress to overcome these nightly disturbances with its Sanctuary range of beds. You can learn more about Sleepyhead’s range of Sanctuary beds here and see how luxury and technology could benefit you every night.
To discover your perfect mattress and find more tips for getting a great night’s sleep visit Sleepyhead.
