Ranging from diet and lifestyle to environmental factors and types of products used, there are many factors that can affect your skin’s health and appearance. Although many of these factors play a role, there are some that have a more noticeable effect on your skin than others. One of the biggest contributors to the condition of your skin is the amount and quality of sleep that you get. Deprive your body of sleep and it won’t take long for your skin to begin showing the beauty-diminishing effects of sleep deprivation. On the flip side, if you consistently get a good night’s sleep you will see visible results in your skins appearance.

How does sleep affect skin? Deep sleep stimulates collagen production and helps our skin cells repair and regenerate themselves. In addition, when you are sleep deprived your body produces more cortisol (the stress hormone), which may lead to an increase of inflammation in your body. Increased inflammation results in more acne breakouts, greater skin sensitivity and an increase in skin rashes. Furthermore, inflammation can contribute to the breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid, 2 essential beauty minerals that give skin its firmness and rosy glow. Sleep deprivation can also result in an improper balance of water in the body. This imbalance is a big contributor to puffy eyes, dark circles under eyes and more visible wrinkles.

How much sleep is ideal? A minimum of 8 hours per night is a good rule of thumb, but sleep is one thing that you simply cannot over do. For the nest quality sleep,  go to bed before 10pm and let your body wake-up naturally without an alarm. Your body is brilliant and will naturally get the exact amount of sleep you need by naturally waking up on your own.

Tips to help you sleep well Lets face it- we live in a stimulating, fast-paced, high-energy world and sometimes it’s not easy to drift away into la-la land. Here are some tips that will make it easier for you to get your beauty sleep:

1. Don’t eat a heavy meal within 3 hours of bedtime.
2. Avoid stimulating activities for at least an hour before bedtime. These include watching TV, exercising or working.
3. Ditch your electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime. Electronic devices (including TV’s) emit blue light, which inhibits the production of melatonin; a sleep-including hormone that your body naturally produces after the sun goes down.
4. Turn off your lights. Lighting also inhibits melatonin production; so if possible use candlelight starting an hour before you hit the sack. Alternatively, you can purchase low blue light bulbs for your bedroom, which do not contain blue light and therefore do not inhibit your body’s production of melatonin.
5. Adopt a bedtime routine. Have a calming cup of herbal tea, take a warm bubble bath or listen to a relaxing meditation CD.

Getting your beauty sleep is not just an old adage- it’s an essential component to getting a youthful, healthy, rosy glow!