Why is sleep the best anti-aging remedy?

Have you ever heard the phrase beauty sleep? Well, it’s a real thing. When it comes to your beauty and anti-aging routine, sleep is an essential component and the closest thing there is to a fountain of youth. When you’re asleep, your body does the most repairing and rejuvenation work, which leads to very long-lasting benefits.

Sleep is complex for many people and sleep disturbances are a global struggle across many different cultures and communities. In fact, most people don’t get the sleep they truly need to be fully recovered every day or week, which data suggests should be 7-9 hours for adults.

If you’re getting fewer than 6 hours of sleep per night, it’s likely affecting your mood, many internal organs, energy levels and your skin, hair and weight. Below are the six anti-aging benefits of getting enough rest.

1. Fewer wrinkles. You're asleep, your skin is hard at work making new collagen to prevent sagging. Essentially, sleep is part of the repair process throughout your dermis (which is the largest organ in the body). More collagen means plumper and less wrinkly skin. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night will provide much better long-term benefits for this process to work optimally.
2. A brighter complexion. A 2013 research study showed that even one night of poor sleep can cause hanging eyelids, swollen eyes, darker circles under your eyes, paler skin, more wrinkles and droopy corners of the mouth. How crazy is that?! When we say sleep is essential for beauty rest, we really mean it. As much as sleep is critical for repairing your brain and muscles, this is also true for your skin. During sleep, your skin’s blood flow increases, which helps organs rebuild collagen and repairs damage from UV exposure, stress and age spots.
3. Healthier, less puffy eyes. Puffy eyes are one of the first signs of sleep deprivation. Chances are, most of us have experienced dark circles or puffy eyes after a night or two of unrestful sleep. Button line, getting more quality sleep will reduce puffiness under your eyes. As well as staying well-hydrated and keeping your head slightly elevated with a pillow while you sleep.
4. Balanced, fuller hair. Poor sleep can affect a number of issues, whether it’s skin, energy, immune system and metabolism, however it can also affect your hair health. A good night’s sleep is required for the protein synthesis of the hair and the release of the enzymes and growth hormones necessary for overall hair health. Quality sleep is one of the most important factors to help prevent hair damage, loss and growth.
5. Happier, healthier metabolism. Sleep doesn’t increase your metabolism directly, however it does play an important role in weight loss and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Sufficient, quality sleep aids in the processing of glucose, fat storage and overall metabolic regulation. A healthy metabolism leads to more sustained energy throughout the day, which can also lead to more calories being burned. Poor sleep disrupts your metabolism, impacting hormones, inflammation and the sympathetic nervous system which regulates the fight-or-flight response. Essentially, better sleep allows your body to properly recover at night, leading to more energy throughout the day and maintaining a healthy metabolic rate.

Now that we’ve established how important sleep is in maintaining a healthy, anti-aging and beauty routine, learn more about how to establish a healthy sleep routine. This will set you up for long-term health benefits from head-to-toe!

You can also learn more about our high quality sleep products formulated specifically to help you fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up feeling rested.