Why you really need your beauty sleep
It might be age-old advice, but is getting eight hours a night really as vital as it’s made out to be? LOOKFANTASTIC investigates.
Despite the fact we’re busier than we have been for the last two years and seemingly more tired than ever (lots of social contact after months of almost zero will do that) we’re still struggling to get a full night’s sleep. But, with experts and studies saying everything from glowing skin to stronger, longer hair can be achieved with a decent amount of shut-eye, we’re wondering if sleep can really be the secret to (free!) anti-ageing.
What exactly is beauty sleep?
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Does sleep actually have anti-ageing effects on your skin?
It’s also worth following the cleanse with, at the very least, a hydrating cream that will lock in moisture. Or, step things up a gear with a powerhouse ingredient like retinol. Loved by dermatologists and skincare experts, retinol is a form of vitamin A that works to speed up skin cell turnover and promote collagen production to smooth lines and enhance skin texture.
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Can sleep make hair grow quicker?
Once again, it’s all to do with your levels of melatonin, which help your body regulate its sleep cycle. Studies have shown that while it can increase hair growth, a decline in melatonin could actually lead to hair loss, as can stress-induced sleep deprivation.
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How to get a good night’s sleep
So it seems that, actually, getting a good, solid sleep (ideally between six and nine hours every night) is vital, not just for your skin and hair, but for your mental health and wellbeing too. But if it’s something you struggle with, try not to stress - that’ll only make things worse. Instead, here are a few of our tried and tested tips that could help you wind down and switch off after a long day.
Spend time doing your skincare routine
It might sound basic, but using your night time routine to signal the end of a working day can help you relax. There’s no denying that it’s hard to differentiate between being switched on and switched off, especially if you’re still working from home, but indulging in a thorough nightly cleanse really can work wonders, both for your skin and mind.
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Invest in a pillow spray
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Use a sleep mask
Put your phone on airplane mode
OK, so it might be one that you hear all the time, but if you haven’t actually tried either switching your phone off or putting it on ‘do not disturb’ mode, you really should. Not only will it help you to relax, but the blue light emitted from the screen is actually proven to make it more difficult to fall asleep. That’s because it can interrupt the production of melatonin. Time to raid your shelves for a good old fashioned book to read, maybe?
A real skincare nerd, I'm on a lifelong quest for a glowing complexion and I (genuinely) love nothing more than learning about new ingredients and trying products. I'm an eyeshadow palette obsessive who'll always choose brown mascara over black – if you haven't made the switch yet, I promise you won't regret it.
