We’ve all heard the saying (or we’ve all said), ‘I need my beauty sleep’ and the truth is you don’t need artificial methods and cosmetics to stay youthful looking and glowing. You need nutrients from good food, hydration from water and other healthy drinks and plenty of sleep. Here are 5 reasons why:
Wide awake, less puffy eyes
When you’re asleep at night, you’re usually horizontal and this allows fluid to pool below you eyes causing those annoying bags in the morning, couple that with lack of sleep and your eyes look tired and dull. Another thing you can do is drink plenty of water before bed and sleep with your head slightly elevated by putting an extra pillow under your head. This will help drain some of the fluid from under your eyes. One of the major reasons we have tired looking eyes as well as dark circles in the morning is through lack of sleep and we’ve forced ourselves up, so getting plenty of rest will avoid that look.
Healthier hair
Hair growth can be damaged due to lack of sleep. Like with most other processes in your body that benefit from your resting state, hair growth and maintenance is one of them. Lack of sleep can cause hair damage, breakage and hair loss and this is because blood flow decreases when you have had insufficient rest. Your hair follicles need all the nutrients and vitamins from blood as well as the healthy blood flow.
A glowing complexion
During the night, whilst you are sleeping, your cells undergo cell turnover. This means they are renewing and this process is crucial for skin maintenance and to keep it looking youthful. Not only that, a good nights sleep and rest in general encourages healthy blood flow which is important for the skin in removing dead cells and providing the right nutrients to your cells. A lack of sleep hinders these processes and you can wake up with dull looking skin and even breakouts.
Better skin condition
Sleep is crucial for the overall condition of your skin. Keeping well hydrated before bed, and a sufficient number of hours of quality sleep will allow your overall skin condition to be at its optimum. Lack of sleep causes the moisture levels in your skin to drop lowering its pH. This causes an imbalance in the skin and can often lead to redness as the skin can’t restore its own moisture levels, and can cause breakouts. I always drink at least half a litre of water before bed to keep myself hydrated.
Slows the ageing process
A good nights sleep and a regular pattern of good sleep will slow down the skin ageing process. Bad sleeping habits and a lack of it can cause premature wrinkles, fine lines, dark circles and skin damage as it is deprived from the nutrients it needs, the moisture it needs and the cell renewal process it undergoes when you sleep. When you are not sleeping enough, your body releases more stress hormone cortisol and this in turn breaks down the collagen in your skin- the protein responsible for keeping your skin smooth and elastic. As a result your skin can start to sag, and fine lines and wrinkles will start to set in.
If you want to be looking and feeling your best, sleep (and plenty of it) is crucial. Your body goes through a lot more than you realise when you are awake and active, but it is equally important to allow your body to self-rejuvinate and repair itself through natural processes during sleep.
Love Nimisha
xoxo
