Find Out What 2 Hours Less Sleep Can Do to Your Face
By Sandy Schroeder
Sometimes staying up late is a work issue, other times it’s just fun to be out there, and sleep seems less important. But over time, loss of sleep can weigh in with all sorts of effects. One of them is wrinkles.
If you suspected this was true, you might be interested in recent sleep research at The Sleep School in London. The school made this a study project, using 30 women to assess the effects of sleep on wrinkles.
All of the women slept eight hours one night, and six hours for five more nights. Pictures were taken, comparing the results of eight hours and six hours of sleep.
The pictures quickly told the story – losing sleep causes more wrinkles. Loss of sleep can add new wrinkles at a rate of 45 percent.
At the same time, other blemishes multiply too. Brown areas and spots can grow by more than 10 percent, and red areas and skin bacteria may advance by 15 percent.
Collagen Is the Underlying Problem
The researchers explained how it all works. Skin cells are repaired at night by collagen, which is new tissue that gives the skin its resilience. The body produces collagen at night, and when it loses sleep some of the collagen is lost.
Overall, to help the mind and the body restore itself, we should all try to get seven to nine hours of sleep at night. If we don’t maintain those sleep numbers, we may also gain weight, lose alertness, and feel depressed.
At the same time, seven to nine hours of sleep a night should help the body make an adequate amount of collagen to nourish the skin, preventing new wrinkles and other skin blemishes.
If you would like to test this out, you could monitor your own sleep, and take pictures to check skin condition, new wrinkles and blemishes. Later, if you establish a regular pattern of better sleep, you could take pictures again to check for improvements.
If you really want to lose the wrinkles, but sleep is an ongoing challenge, try eating protein at dinner and drinking tart cherry juice as a snack.
To encourage sleep, keep all phones, laptops and tablets out of the bedroom, and make it a sleep haven with soft lights, comfortable pillows, and serene colors. Skip tobacco, wine and stimulating projects at least an hour before bedtime. Also keep the same sleep schedule every night, and avoid any daytime naps. In addition, avoid caffeine from early afternoon on.
Gradually, your sleep should improve, along with the wrinkles. If you are still having sleep issues, see your physician to check for any additional problems.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.