Beauty Sleep – Myth or Reality?

Your sleep matters in a big way. It matters for your health and it matters for your lifestyle. But does it also matter for the way we look? In other words, is there such a thing as beauty sleep, and if so, how does it work?

To answer these questions, we’ve looked into the relationship between sleep and our physical appearance and made a few interesting connections.

Skin, hair and nails treatment as you sleep

During sleep, especially during deep and peaceful sleep, our body goes into ‘repair’ mode. It does this by producing growth hormones, which help to rebuild damaged cells, including those of the skin, hair and nails. So the more sleep we get, the longer our bodies can continue with this repairing, restoring and re-balancing process. Which all means that beauty sleep isn’t a myth, it’s a fact.

WebMD says ‘While you sleep, your brain triggers the release of hormones that encourage tissue growth. This can help you recover from injuries such as cuts or even sore muscles from your last workout’. So, the best thing to do if you’ve had a particularly strenuous day is get a really good night’s sleep at the end of it!

If you don’t get enough sleep – it shows

When we don’t sleep enough, the body struggles to produce these growth hormones and the end results are visible signs of sleep deprivation, like dark rings under the eyes, waxen skin and dull hair. Lack of sleep can also create a stress hormone, which causes skin ageing and other physical signs of exhaustion. Cosmopolitan says, ‘Not only does not getting enough sleep negatively affect your body, it affects the moisture levels in your skin, decreasing them and also lowering your complexion’s pH levels, which is why your skin looks less youthful and has less of a glow.’

Related: 6 Beauty Bloggers Weigh In On The Best Overnight Treatments For Your Skin

The real beauty is, it’s free!

Along with being one of the best beauty tips for your body, sleep also has the key advantage of being absolutely free. Why spend a fortune on expensive skin creams, hair treatments and anti-ageing products? Getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis could quite possibly give you visibly better results! With the average woman spending over £18,000 on skincare in her lifetime, you could save a fortune getting nature’s best anti-ageing remedy! Many models and celebrities know the value of beauty sleep, so join the rich and famous by making the most of it.

Be sure of your beauty sleep

To enjoy your beauty sleep, make sure you have everything you need to get plenty of it. That, of course, includes a comfortable bed and a comfortable mattress right at the top of the list. So if you’re sleeping on anything less than comfortable, do something about it and upgrade.

Better sleep means a better you, but in this instance it could means a better looking you too.

Do you get enough beauty sleep? Let us know in the comments!