How can sleep affect your skin?
The good
Your body and skin repair themselves when you get quality sleep. If you’re getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night, your skin won’t be able to repair itself, accelerating the aging process.
A lack of sleep can also lead to increased stress and inflammation in the body, which can worsen acne, psoriasis, and other skin conditions.
For optimum benefits and results, aim for 7 to 9 hours of good sleep per night.
The not-so good
In some cases, the hours you spend sleeping aren’t good for your skin. If you don’t remove your makeup, dirt and grime of the day, you’re more likely to have breakouts and blemishes. This is especially crucial if you have oily skin or acne.
You should wash your sheets every week (or two at the most) in hot water to eliminate bacteria and fungi as well as dirt and oils from your skin as you sleep. These can stay on your sheets until they’re washed, making you more likely to have acne and dandruff.
If you have sensitive skin, choose a laundry detergent with little or no fragrance.
How can you improve your skin overnight?
Keep it clean
If you have dry skin, try a creamy cleanser, and if you have oily skin or skin that’s prone to acne, use a gel formula. This helps remove impurities and also allows other treatments to better penetrate your skin.
Use a retinoid
These anti-agers are derived from Vitamin A and can help your skin look more youthful. Applying them at night is best, since sunlight can make a retinoid less effective.
Use under eye cream
If you have dark circles under your eyes, try using a cream that contains Vitamin K and retinol at night. You’ll see an improvement in not only your dark circles, but also in your crow’s feet.
Apply a moisturizer
Your skin loses water overnight, so plump it up with a moisturizer. Ingredients such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid help attract water to the skin.
Sleep on your back if you can
Sleeping on your side or stomach can etch lines into your skin, so sleep on your back if you can. If not, try using a satin pillowcase to minimize the damage.
To learn more about how you can improve your skin’s appearance, make an appointment today at one of Hollywood Dermatology’s convenient offices in south Florida.
