Original Content from Joyce Chua Thread SG

When we were kids, we would try as hard as we could to stay up past our bedtime. As adults, we stay up late working or partying, wreaking even more damage to our skin. We owe so much to sleep — an entire host of skin benefits on top of mental and physical ones — yet most of us hardly get enough of it.

If you’re always taking sleep for granted (read: sacrificed it to binge-watch Netflix), here’s news for you: your skin is suffering. Yes, the skin that you religiously cleanse, exfoliate, massage and nourish, and sometimes fret over. Despite all your efforts to pamper it, you are depriving it of the one crucial thing it needs.

Here’s how a good night’s rest can affect your skin condition:

Banish Wrinkles

It’s an established fact that not getting enough Z’s makes you look older. Sleep is the time for damaged cells to repair themselves. A lack of sleep reduces this restorative process and causes noticeable signs of aging — fine lines, uneven skin tone, and even reduced elasticity (further exacerbating the loss of collagen that comes naturally with aging).

Seven to eight hours of sleep every night is ideal. Apply an anti-aging serum containing peptides nightly for better skin recovery.

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Stave Off Sagging

Collagen — the thing in our skin that gives young children plump, smooth skin. As mentioned, our skin loses its elasticity as we grow older. This is when it starts to sag and wrinkles start to form.

But here’s the good news: sleep can accelerate collagen production, thereby helping you firm up your skin and maximise water retention. Water retention has been given a bad rep, but it is actually vital for keeping your skin supple and moisturised.

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Alleviate Acne

If you’re suffering from frequent or stubborn breakouts, blame it on the lack of sleep.

At least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep every night helps keep the production of stress hormones low, which will thus reduce your chances of getting a breakout.

Studies have pinpointed stress, lack of sleep, and excessive sweating as the three most common triggers of acne. The lack of sleep raises your psychological stress level, which then adversely affects your skin, exacerbating your acne.

If you have a hard time falling asleep, try lowering the temperature. Our bodies naturally cool down before we go to sleep, but if that isn’t enough to knock you out, turn down the thermostat.

Are you reaping the benefits of sleep? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!