Whether it’s the aftershock of a night out on the town, or the result of a long and stressful week, sleep deprivation can leave you feeling utterly terrible and affect every part of your body – including your skin.
For many of us, we will spend time and money to make ourselves look and feel wonderful, but what if we had the secret to healthy, glowing skin all along? Knowing the benefits that quality sleep can have will help you achieve the flawless complexion of your dreams.Skin Repairs While You Sleep
Cellular repair is essential for skin health. It involves clearing dead cells to make space for new ones that nourish the body, and most repairing processes take place while we are in a deep sleep. During the nighttime, free of many pressures like pollutants and sunlight, our bodies get to work removing toxins from our system. This quality sleep offers the benefits of feeling refreshed and looking our best once we awake.A lack of sleep, therefore, affects skin health as all the processes to reduce skin aging and improve function are either interrupted or weakened. This reduced rejuvenation then shows on our skin in the form of dehydration, redness, and wrinkles.
Sleep Effects on Collagen & Growth Hormones
We’ve all heard the advice of getting 8-hours of sleep a night to help our bodies tackle aging and to function correctly. However, quality is just as important as quantity. For example, an interrupted 8-hour sleep will not offer the same benefits as an uninterrupted 6-hours. It is in ‘deep sleep’, where the body really gets to work. This is when it produces growth hormones and collagen, which benefit skincare, aging and overall function. With the effects of sleep deprivation, these processes cannot operate as they need to.Growth hormones promote cell regeneration, so when sleep is interrupted, these hormones are unable to work effectively, leaving us looking tired and stressed. Collagen helps maintain elasticity within the skin, keeping it firm and smooth. Like hormones, sleep deprivation derails collagen production, allowing for the formation of wrinkles and fine lines.
Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Under-Eye Dark Circles & Puffiness
The familiar dark circles under the eyes are a clear indicator of a poor night’s sleep. As we know, sleeping early at night benefits skin regeneration, so when our sleep is diminished, the toxins and fluids that accumulate are not drained correctly. This leaves a puffy dark appearance on the face. As the skin under the eyes is the thinnest anywhere on the body, these dark appearances are more visible.Lack of Sleep Stimulates Cortisol
Cortisol is the hormone that manages our fight or flight responses. This is of much use when the body is sleep-deprived, as it keeps us awake and alert. However, it can wreak havoc on the skin, triggering breakouts, wrinkles, inflammation and skin health problems like psoriasis and dermatitis. By keeping the body alert, cortisol inhibits the production of the necessary hormones for rejuvenating the skin and detoxing the body, leaving us feeling, and looking, fatigued.Lack of Sleep Causes Dry Skin
Hydration is one of the most important things for maintaining good skin health. Without a good night’s sleep, the skin can become dehydrated, affecting the moisture levels so that the natural PH levels are compromised, leaving the complexion looking dull and weary. This PH imbalance prevents the body from being able to function and produce the necessary moisture, which leads to problems like dryness, redness, and acne.Your Night-time Skincare Ritual to Achieve True Beauty Sleep
A good, early night-time skincare ritual can offer endless benefits for skin health and work to reverse the effects that sleep deprivation has. Here are some simple steps you can follow to improve your skin health.1. Double Cleanse
Cleansing is important for any skincare routine. Having a clean base for the rest of your regime ensures that pollutants from the day are removed, leaving the body ready to absorb the many nutrients from your nighttime products. Start by removing your sunscreen and makeup with an oil-based cleanser such as our Super Hydrate-ME Cleansing Oil, and follow up with a water-based cleanser like our Purify-Me Gentle Cleanser to deeply clean your pores. For more information about how to use double cleansing to refresh your skin, check out our RAWW Double Cleansing Guide.2. Hydrate with Oils & Serums
Night oils and serums are a great way to inject some hydration into your skincare regime. These tend to work best at night, as the skin can relax and absorb all the nutrients, with the products slowly sinking in while you sleep. Serums contain high concentrations of beneficial ingredients that work deep into the skin, supporting hydration, function, and cellular repair. To bring moisture back to your skin, try our Night Owl Facial Oil and Dew Drop Hydrating Serum.3. Nourish Your Skin with Eye Cream & Night Cream
The thin skin under our eyes is incredibly delicate and susceptible to the effects of sleep deprivation. That is why the use of night and eye creams can help support the anti-aging rejuvenation of the under-eye area to give you fresher eyes. These products help to reduce dark circles and lines by protecting and relaxing the skin, encouraging cell repair, and reducing puffiness and inflammation. Try our Super Hydrate-Me Eye Cream and Super Hydrate-Me Night Cream to see for yourself how these simple products can brighten your skin.Combine Benefits of Sleep Quality with RAWW’s Superfood-Infused Skincare Products
At RAWW Cosmetics, we believe that beauty starts with self-love, and what better way to practice this than by treating yourself to a full, good quality night’s sleep paired with superfood-infused products designed to offer a range of benefits for every skin type.To support you as you strive for healthier, more radiant skin, we have a varied collection of skincare products to give you a boost by hydrating, plumping and brightening tired skin. Check out our skincare collection today, or contact us to discover more ways we can help you on your way to achieving glowing skin.