Do You Know the Best Time to Sleep for Skin Repair?

For every one of us, our skin matters a lot and we all want to keep our skin fresh, healthy, and of course! acne-free. We go from one Beauty product to the other looking for the best products for our skin. In addition to that long skincare routine, we do every day, sleeping at the right time is another factor that can help us maintain the health of our skin.

It not only helps you restore energy after a hectic day but also helps your skin to repair itself when you are sound asleep. Feels like a babble? It is not and in this article, we are going to discuss how the Beauty sleep exists and how it works.

What is Beauty Sleep and Does It Really Heal Your Skin?

Although it feels like a myth, beauty sleep is real. In this section, we will discuss what exactly it is and does it have any beneficial effects for you.

Beauty sleep refers to the phase of deep sleep when our body starts healing itself. During this time, growth hormones release from our body which repairs the damaged cells and improves our muscle growth. Moreover, during this time, cell division occurs at a faster rate as compared to day which compensates for dead cells.

So, it is true that beauty sleep helps our skin in repairing itself. Now the question arises how? Let’s discuss this in the next section.

How Sleep Can Help Your Skin?

Prevention of Breakouts

When we sleep, our body starts relaxing which results in a decreased production of cortisol. Cortisol is released in stressed conditions which leads to more production of sebum that can clog the pores. The clogging of skin pores can cause inflammation and acne.

So, sound sleep can prevent breakouts by inhibiting the release of cortisol.

Cell Renewal

The Beauty Sleep time is the time during which our cells regenerate and repair themselves at a fast rate. This is because mitosis- the process of cell division is at its highest rate during this time.

Furthermore, the collagen level in the body increases at night. It provides strength to the skin cells and assists the body during cell repair. You can check out the Benefits of Collagen to further know about its advantages.

Protection from Eco Damage

When you are asleep in your room, you will be least exposed to UV rays, cigarette smoke, and the detrimental fumes in the air. Reduced exposure to these can help protect your skin from damage, lessens wrinkles, and slow down the process of aging.

Moreover, there are no makeup products on your skin at night thus preventing your skin from drying, acne, and rashes.

Relieve from Stress

Sleeping especially at scheduled times can help your body get some relief from the stress. It is the time when our heart rate reduces and our blood pressure also reduces. This helps your skin stay relaxed and no stress means glowing skin in the morning.

The reduced stress also reduces the level of stress hormones that can cause acne.

Increases Blood Flow

Lastly, sleep increases our blood flow. The blood moves throughout our body and provides it with the necessary nutrition for proper functioning. An increased blood flow means our body is getting optimal nutrition leading to our skin staying healthy.

In addition, this blood circulation keeps our pores open to help our skin stay healthy and fresh.

What is the Best Time to Sleep for Skin Repair?

The sleep timings can vary from one person to the other depending upon each individual’s profession, his daily schedule, and other duties he needs to perform. For some people, 10 P.M might be the perfect time to sleep while for others 1 A.M might look fine.

But there are studies that show that sleeping early and waking up early is better as sleeping late can trigger negative thoughts and cause depression. Furthermore, most studies say that it is 10 to 11 P.M but it can vary from individual to individual. In general, for 18-60 years old people it is best to sleep for at least 7-9 hours.

Also, make sure that your sleep and wake-up times are consistent every day to keep your internal clock in the right rhythm.

How Can You Avail the Beauty Sleep Maximally?

To make sure that your skin can get maximum benefits from Beauty sleep, you should know the following tips.

Clean Your Face

Cleaning your face and making sure that you don’t have any makeup on before sleeping is a necessary step to take. Washing it and then cleaning it with a cleanser can open your clogged pores, and refresh your skin thus preventing acne and breakouts.

Apply Moisturizer

Other than the advantages that beauty sleep has, it also has some disadvantages. At night, our body temperature decreases, and skin temperature increases and the pH goes to the more acidic side. This results in Total Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL).

So, applying moisturizer is necessary to keep your skin hydrated.

Sleep on Your Back and Use Silk Pillowcase

Sleeping sideways or on your stomach can cause wrinkles on your face. Moreover, pillowcases with rough fabrics can cause irritation and skin

abrasions.

So, it is better to sleep on your back or to use a silk pillowcase as silk absorbs less moisture and reduces abrasions.

Use Vitamin C and Vitamin A Rich Products

Before going to sleep, applying vitamin A or Vitamin C-rich products can prove beneficial for you. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and helps in skin repair while Vitamin A can decrease the pore size and firm your sagging skin.

Tips for Sleeping Better Throughout the Night

Reduce Exposure to Blue Light

Reducing exposure to blue light that is present in mobiles, and TV screens can help improve your sleep. Blue light can trick our brain into thinking that it’s still day thus keeping us awake.

So, it is best to stay away from the phone for some time before sleeping.

Get More Exposure to Daylight

High exposure to daylight during the day keeps our circadian rhythm to stay healthy leading to peaceful sleep. It is a cycle that controls our mental and physical behavior for 24 hours daily.

According to studies on older adults, a 2-hour exposure to daylight can increase sleep efficiency by almost 80%.

Make a sleeping schedule

Making a consistent sleeping schedule is important because our circadian rhythm has aligned itself with sunset and sunrise. So, a regular schedule can prove the quality of our sleep while irregular naps can lead to poor sleep due to disturbance of our internal clock.

No Caffeine after the Afternoon

We can’t go without having caffeine at least once a day. But, it is only beneficial when taken at the right time. After consumption, your blood has a high level of caffeine for almost 6 to 8 hours which prevents your body from relaxing.

So, it is best not to take caffeine after 3 P.M to sleep soundly at night.

Keep a Check on Your Bedroom Environment

Another step you can take is to optimize the environment of your bedroom. Before sleeping, make sure that there is no noise and that you sleep in dim light or complete darkness. This improves the sleep

Moreover, a 20°C bedroom temperature can also enhance the quality of your sleep.

Conclusion

Having healthy skin can make you feel prettier, more confident, and lighter. To have this healthy skin, sleeping at the right time is really necessary. It is because, during sleep, our body is relaxed, blood circulation and mitosis increase and we are safe from all harmful rays of the sun.

All these factors help in the repair and renewal of our skin. So, to maximally benefit from the Beauty sleep, all you need to do is to adjust your room conditions and sleep schedule and sleep for 7-9 hours per day to have a healthy body and healthy mind.