2020 was a traumatic time to say the least, filled with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. It is no surprise that all those feelings, and emotions can have an impact on your skin.
The last year has been hard on a lot of us for several unprecedented reasons, and the stress and anxiety of that will undoubtedly have heavily impacted our skin. It’s clear many have invested in a good skincare routine, with searches for skincare increasing 123%, according to SEO Monitor. However, how many of us have given the impact of our sleep regime any thought?
We are all aware of the old age concept of ‘beauty sleep’, which is no myth as studies have proven that getting your 8 hours of sleep is not only beneficial to your overall health, but also your skin in particular. As a result, Dormeo’s sleep expert Phil Lawlor has put together his tips on how to sleep your way to your perfect skin.
Sleep habits that will make your skin glow – Practice good sleep hygiene
We all know how lack of sleep can cause damage to the skin in various forms. These damages are not just from one night of bad sleep, but this is a result of continuous bad sleep. The effects lack of sleep include:
- Dark circles – this is caused by an increase in cortisol levels, also known as the ‘stress hormone’. This is produced when the body is tired.
- Swollen blood vessels – the increased cortisol levels also effect the increased volume of blood, including the blood vessels under the eyes, alongside enhanced oil production that can lead to breakouts.
- Skin puffiness – lack of sleep doesn’t give the skin the chance to rest and repair. This creates puffiness, especially around the eyes and lack of sleep can lead to loss of elasticity and wrinkles.
As a result it’s important to invest your time in good sleep hygiene
Sleep habits that will make your skin glow – Use silk or high thread count cotton pillows/sheets
Health Line have found that silk pillowcases help to keep the skin more hydrated in comparison to cotton, the latter absorbs in a lot of moisture. As silk pillowcases absorb less moisture and dirt, when you wake up in the morning your skin and hair won’t be as dry in comparison to using cotton pillowcases. Silk pillowcases also provide a clean sleep area and lessen the amount of friction caused, thus preventing skin or hair irritation and damage.
Alongside this, dermatologists believe silk lessens the chances of lines and wrinkles to the face according to Allure.
In order to get the best night’s sleep, it is also important to bed down in high quality sheets. High thread count sheets are gentler on the skin as they are more breathable and allow your skin to move easily around the material as you rest. When looking for new sheets with a higher thread count, keep an eye out for any in the range of 200-800.