Is there anything to beauty sleep?

Dark circles under the eyes, fine lines and blemishes – you often hear that a lack of sleep could be responsible. And in fact poor sleep quality, or simply too little of it, can cause premature skin ageing and influence the quality of our skin negatively. But what exactly is the perfect beauty sleep? How long does it last and what should you bear in mind?

Dark circles are only the beginning

There are countless reasons that can be responsible for suboptimal skin health. Dullness, blemishes and extreme dryness can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. Not only a poor diet, but smoking and exposure to the sun as well can be responsible for these skin problems. One factor that many people wrongly disregard, however, is the night's rest. It is not for nothing that we often hear ‘you look tired’; you really can see the tiredness on us. And not only in the dark shadows beneath the eyes. Simply cover them with concealer and a small facial massage for the swelling – that is the secret recipe. In the long run, however, that is no solution, for the lack of sleep and the oxidative stress resulting from it make themselves felt in the condition of the skin in other forms too.

A lack of sleep makes skin age

If we do not sleep enough, our body produces the stress hormone cortisol. This encourages inflammation; that often shows itself as acne or a rash on the skin. Cortisol also increases the breakdown of collagen. Collagen is responsible for the elasticity and the youthful glow of our skin. After a night on the tiles, damaged cells are repaired less quickly, which in turn can lead to premature skin ageing. The skin's ability to recover from irritations (such as sunburn) is also weakened.

A lack of sleep also dehydrates the body more quickly. Dullness, dry skin, redness, swelling and blemishes can be the consequence.