Is There Such Thing As Beauty Sleep?

 

The term “beauty sleep” has become a form of expressive language, but there’s some serious science behind the simple statement

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The term “beauty sleep” has become a form of expressive language, but there’s some serious science behind the simple statement.

Studies have demonstrated over the last century the effects that sleep, or lack thereof, can have on your health and overall appearance.

A good night’s sleep should be considered part of your beauty routine, just like any product or healthy habit you’ve adopted. A lack of sleep has been linked to all sorts of beauty-hazards such as wrinkles, fine lines, saggy skin, age spots, and more. To find out more about the overall effects of beauty sleep, see below for a full guide.

What Does Sleep Actually Do?

Similar to every other function of the human system, sleeping has a purpose. Your body needs rest to repair and recover itself, in a perfectly-relaxed state. Getting the right amount of sleep for your body leads to long lasting health benefits.

While you’re asleep your body purges many of the toxins accumulated in your body throughout the day. Additionally, while in your deepest stages of sleep, growth hormones peak in order to stimulate cell and tissue repair. Growth hormones have been linked to collagen production meaning, a deep sleep may help to keep those wrinkles and fine lines at bay.

The average person should be getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night. These 7-9 hours must be quality and restful. Within 2-3 weeks of getting the right amount of sleep each night can show drastic differences in the way you look and feel.

But how exactly does our sleep affect us?

Getting 6 or fewer hours can have serious effects on your appearance and health. Not getting enough sleep is one of the leading causes of accidents and injuries on the road and at work as well as being a main reason for missing work or social occasions. Sleep can have resounding effects that can echo through to many parts of your beauty, mental-state, and health.

Wrinkles and Fine-Lines

When you sleep, your skin makes new collagen. Collagen is the main factor in preventing aging and especially sagging. When your body produces more collagen, the skin is plumper and fights against wrinkles easier. If you’re not getting enough rest, the natural production of collagen will begin to decrease. Getting less than 6 hours of sleep can dry out your skin and lead to twice as many wrinkles as someone who sleeps the proper amount.

Complexion

A lack of sleep can be extremely noticeable and your skin can become lifeless or drab. This is because the blood flow in your body boosts while you sleep; giving you that lively, rosy complexion. The blood flow will decrease the less you sleep, leaving you looking dull.

Puffy Eyes

Everyone knows that after a night of horrible sleep, you wake up with dark circles or bags under your eyes. These are the first things people usually notice about us, but they can be easily cured.

Hair Health

Your skin isn’t the only thing affected by a poor night’s sleep. Hair damage, breakage, and even loss can be affected when you don’t get enough sleep. Much like other beauty and sleep-related issues, your hair’s nutrients and minerals are gained from increased blood flow while you’re resting. When you sleep less, you’re easily stressed, which can impact the production of cortisol, a hormone that contributes to hair growth.

Critical-Thinking and Concentration

When you don’t get enough sleep, the brain cannot perform properly perform cognitive functions. Poor sleep can severely affect concentration, focus, problem solving, alertness, attention, and reasoning. Studies have even shown that without the right amount of sleep, you cannot correctly retain what you experienced throughout the day. It effects the transfer of learned information therefore, has the possibility of affecting long term memory retention.

Health Conditions

Inadequate sleep can put you at greater risk of serious health issues like heart failure, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, stroke, diabetes, and more.

Sex-Drive

Depriving yourself of beauty sleep can cause extreme stress on the body causing a decrease in libido and sexual desire. This is usually as a result of depleted energy as well as feeling more tense and irritable from a bad night’s sleep.

Mental-Health

Over time, the effects of not getting enough sleep can weigh heavily on the mind. Poor sleep is a big contributor symptom of depression and anxiety. Insomnia, depression, and anxiety can feed off of each other and create a cycle that is hard to escape.

Weight

People who get 6 hours or less of sleep each night are more likely to have problems controlling their appetite and weight. Therefore, obesity can be related to a lack of sleep.

It’s one thing to have a poor night’s sleep here or there but if you notice a constant struggle in falling asleep and staying asleep, it may be time to consult your family doctor. Unfortunately, there is no one answer to resolve sleep deprivation. Some may need clinical treatment while others may find natural solutions. Whatever the case may be, don’t give up because proper sleep is important.

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You may also enjoy reading 5 Ways that Sleep Improves your Mind, Body & Happiness, by Edie Ainsworth