Beauty Sleep: Everything You Need to Know

Sleep is essential because how they feel while awake depends partly on what happens while they are asleep. Beauty sleep is when a person gets a good night’s sleep and wakes up refreshed, and has natural glowing skin from within. 

A 2010 experimental study on sleep-deprived people’s perceived health and attractiveness reported that they appear less healthy, less attractive, and more tired than well-rested. With that being said, how many hours of beauty sleep is necessary?

How Many Hours Are Necessary for Beauty Sleep

How many hours of sleep for beauty do you need? As mentioned before, beauty sleep refers to a well-rested night, and according to A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society, adults should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night to feel refreshed. 

Effects of Lack of Beauty Sleep

So far, the concept of beauty sleep has lacked scientific support. However, the biological importance of sleep may have favored a sensitivity to perceive sleep-related cues in the perception of their attractiveness and health. Following are such perceptions, explaining the effects of lack of beauty sleep.

Attractiveness 

According to a study mentioned above, sleep-deprived people are perceived as less attractive, less healthy, and more tired. And tiredness was strongly related to looking less healthy and attractive, which was also supported by the mediating analyses. It found that effects and relations on appearing healthy and attractive were mediated by looking tired.

Aging 

According to the research reports from University Hospitals Case Medical Center, sleep quality impacts skin function and aging. It found that poor-quality sleepers showed increased signs of intrinsic skin aging, including fine lines, uneven pigmentation, slackening of skin, and reduced elasticity. On the contrary, good-quality sleepers recover more efficiently.

Self-Esteem 

Optimism and self-esteem are essential for health. And a study reports that sufficient sleep is associated with positive personality characteristics, and this relationship is independent of the association between poor sleep and depression.

Skin

Several studies have demonstrated increased pore size and pigmentation on skin due to sleep deprivation. It was found that skin hydration significantly reduced after one day of sleep deprivation and continued to decrease. Lack of sleep also hinders the skin’s ability to repair itself at night, and elasticity decreases.

Benefits of Beauty Sleep

Following are the benefits of beauty sleep you’ll notice after getting enough sleep. 

Fewer Wrinkles

Skin aging is characterized by developing fine lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity and firmness, darkening and dull skin. These can be the consequences of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Skin is an important barrier against external stressors. 

According to a study, the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin contains powerful anti-aging properties. And getting enough beauty sleep can help reduce signs of intrinsic skin aging.

De-puffed Eyes

Chances are that dark circles or baggy eyes are due to insufficient sleep. According to research, sleep-deprived people have hanging eyelids, redder eyes, swollen eyes, darker circles under the eyes, paler skin, more wrinkles/fine lines, and droopy corners of the mouth. Thus, sufficient beauty sleep is important as facial cues of sleep deprivation may carry social consequences for sleep-deprived individuals. 

Easier Weight Loss

Evidence supports the role of insufficient sleep in contributing to obesity and how it may affect and hinder weight loss. Studies provide evidence that inadequate sleep promotes higher levels of ghrelin and enhances the “hunger hormone” that stimulates appetite. 

Given that higher ghrelin concentrations may facilitate fat retention, people with insufficient sleep also reported less-favorable changes in metabolic hormone levels, substrate, and energy use. Therefore, getting the recommended hours of beauty sleep can help avoid weight gain.

Healthier Skin

A study in the journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology reported that people who slept 7 to 9 hours a night had moisturized skin which could heal itself better compared to those who slept five hours or less. 

According to Karin Olszewski, RN, a cosmetic specialist, skin cells regenerate more quickly at night. Sleep produces collagen, the protein responsible for helping your skin keep its elasticity. In addition, during sleep there is more blood flow to the skin delivering nutrients to keep it healthy.

Fewer Breakouts

About one-third of adults in the USA get less than the recommended sleep. And in addition to the increased risk of health conditions, a study shows that sleep disturbance also impacts skin disease and determines a relationship between acne severity and sleep quality.

Poor sleep can lead to increased stress hormones, and hormonal imbalance can lead to breakouts. In 2015, a French study demonstrated a strong positive correlation between acne and fatigue. 

Happier Mood

Beauty sleep can likely promote a happy mood. According to research, getting sufficient beauty sleep and improving sleep quality may positively affect daily mood.

Increased Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is a multidimensional construct referring to a person’s evaluation of their worth, determining their actions and social behavior. High levels of self-esteem are related to higher satisfaction in interpersonal relations, such as health, social relations, work, and education. 

Insufficient sleep can promote weight gain, causing body dissatisfaction. This can have adverse consequences on the emotional well-being of individuals, negatively affecting their self-esteem. 

How to Get More Beauty Sleep

To enjoy all the aforementioned benefits of beauty sleep, one must get beauty sleep. Following are tips that can help you catch on to your beauty sleep. 

Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine

The first step to getting quality beauty sleep is to create a consistent bedtime routine. A multinational study suggests that having a regular bedtime routine is associated with better sleep. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, positive bedtime routines involve calming activities preceding bedtime, such as a soothing warm bath, listening to music, and reading. 

Wash Your Face Before Bed

Sleeping with makeup on is one of the worst things for skin as leaving the makeup on can be damaging. It exposes the skin to free radicals in the air which break down the collagen on the skin, leading to fine lines.

Clean Sheets Once a Week

Dirty sheets may contribute to skin breakouts. Every night when you sleep, dirt and oil are transferred from the skin to the sheets, which can build up in the fabrics of the pillowcases and sheets over time. Cleaning your sheets often will help remove acne-causing bacteria.

Eat Hydrating Foods

Eating habits and meal timing are significantly associated with sleep quality and skin appearance as a direct reflection of the body’s moisture status. Therefore eat healthy and hydrating food for better sleep. Moreover, proper nutrition levels and eating habits can repair damaged skin. 

Skip Salty Snacks

Although salt is an essential dietary requirement, excessive consumption has long-term adverse consequences. High salt foods can contribute to fragmented sleep and slightly impair the circadian rhythm– a natural cycle that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.

Keep Up With Skincare

While sufficient sleep helps repair and maintain healthy skin, it’s still a good idea to use skin care products before bed. A nighttime skincare routine can assist your largest organ in repairing itself faster and better.

Create a Zen Sleep Environment

Creating a quiet and calm bedroom environment signals your body it’s time to go to sleep. A dark and quiet room with sea-level air quality and proper ventilation is a valuable countermeasure for improving sleep quality.

Rethink That Nightcap

Although alcohol has been used as a sedative, it is known to affect your sleep quality. And regular drinking can affect the quality of your sleep, making you feel tired and lethargic. Experts recommend avoiding alcohol at least three hours before bed.

Conclusion

Beauty sleep is no myth and refers to how our skin and body heal during our sleep. And if you want to catch onto that beauty sleep, try incorporating some of the aforementioned tips into your daily routine to practice better sleep hygiene.