Written by: Connie Zhang
Running low on hours of restful sleep often causes your skin to reap more consequences than you may know. Simply put, the quality of your sleep impacts your skin’s health over time. Specifically, the effects of sleep contribute to the skin’s physical appearance, aging, and inflammation. Whether the relationship between your sleep quality and your skin is positive or negative, the well-being of your complexion could be remedied or improved with a few basic, effective tips.
On the outside, the effects of sleep often surface in the skin’s physical appearance. In general, quality sleep protects the skin by retaining moisture. Physically, the benefits of restful sleep contribute to less swollen eyes and reduce dark circles in pigmentation. Another positive effect is the reduction of wrinkles since the regeneration of skin cells occurs more quickly at night than in the day. As a result, it produces collagen, the protein that sustains dermatologic elasticity and causes fewer wrinkles. Also, regular sleep enhances complexion due to greater blood flow when the body is at rest during the night. It increases the body’s temperature and delivers essential biological nutrients that help repair damaged skin.
Various medical studies have proven that a lack of adequate sleep accelerates skin aging. The study that was commissioned by Estée Lauder at University Hospitals Case Medical Center was the first study to demonstrate that poor sleep quality increases skin aging officially. The results show that poor-quality sleepers tend to have greater signs of intrinsic skin aging, such as uneven pigmentation and slackened skin. Not only does sleep deprivation cause quicker skin aging, but it also causes a slower recovery from environmental conditions, including ultraviolet radiation and sunburn with erythema, which is redness. Another study that proves the significance of sleep in both the renewal of skin functions and impact on aging was finalized by the British Association of Dermatologists in 2014. It concludes that chronic poor sleep quality diminishes the skin barrier’s functions and contributes to greater intrinsic aging. A later study performed by UCLA researchers reveals that even a single night of insufficient sleep possibly causes an older adult’s cells to age quickly. In addition, long-term sleep loss has the potential to trigger many other diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and more.
Sleep deprivation contributes to the skin and body’s inflammation by increasing the production of inflammatory molecules, such as cytokines and interleukins. A lack of quality sleep causes a rise in blood pressure, which prevents blood vessels from relaxing. As a result, the cells in blood vessel walls are prone to being triggered and activating inflammation in the skin and body in the process. Also, insufficient sleep raises cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone that triggers inflammation. When inadequate sleep causes a lot of inflammation, the skin is more sensitive to the occurrences of acne and allergic reactions.
Fortunately, several fundamental tips can help improve one’s sleep schedule to achieve better sleep and healthier skin. One tip is to create a quality sleeping space that sets up comfort for sleep. A dark environment and a cool temperature are a couple of the features that are recommended. An additional option is to use earplugs to reduce noise distractions. Also, waking up and going to bed at the same time daily prevents a sleep schedule from being disrupted. Another basic tip that is generally beneficial is to exercise regularly, which makes it easier to both fall asleep and stay asleep. Lastly, one more tip is to avoid using electronic devices in the hour before bedtime, like computers, phones, and more. Physically, exposure to the blue light that these devices emanate may cause difficulty in falling asleep.
All in all, quality sleep significantly impacts your skin’s health in your physical appearance, aging, and inflammation. The better regular sleep you receive, the more likely you are to maintain and improve the well-being of your skin. Time and again, your skin depends on your sleep.
Image Source: Chris Craymer, Vogue
References
Baron, ED. “Does poor sleep quality affect skin ageing?” PubMed,
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25266053/. Accessed March 2024.
Hamzeh, Yazan. “Beauty Sleep: How Quality Rest Impacts Appearance.” Sleep Foundation, 6 January 2023, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/beauty-sleep. Accessed March 2024.
“How Does Lack of Sleep Affect the Skin?” Walk-in Dermatology, 16 June 2020, https://walkindermatology.com/how-does-lack-of-sleep-affect-skin/. Accessed March 2024.
“How sleep deprivation can cause inflammation.” Harvard Health, 11 January 2022, https://www.health.harvard.edu/sleep/how-sleep-deprivation-can-cause-inflamma tion. Accessed March 2024.
“Is Getting Your "Beauty Sleep" a Fairy Tale?” Samaritan Health Services, 29 May 2019, https://www.samhealth.org/about-samaritan/news-search/2019/05/29/importance -of-sleep-to-your-appearance-and-skin. Accessed March 2024.
Paprocki, Jonathan. “How sleep deprivation ages you quicker.” Sleep Education, 11 July 2022, https://sleepeducation.org/how-sleep-deprivation-ages-you-quicker/. Accessed March 2024.
Paprocki, Jonathan. “Sleep quality may impact skin.” Sleep Education, 19 July 2022, https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-quality-may-impact-skin/. Accessed March 2024.
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