Of the numerous benefits that a good night’s sleep can have on your body, the most visible one remains its rejuvenating effect. A lack of proper sleep keeps you tired and groggy throughout the day and can lead to dry skin, dark circles, puffy eyes, etc. Quality sleep on the other hand can not only provide your skin the time to heal from the day’s toil but also help remove toxins and dead skin cells. We have therefore come up with an extensive list of 16 important tips that help you achieve that glowing and clear skin by achieving the perfect beauty sleep.
#1 Stay Hydrated
No list of healthy tips can be complete without mentioning the importance of drinking an ample amount of water. Apart from preventing dehydration during sleep, water prevents toxin buildup and improves the effect of external moisturizers. However, one needs to gradually lower the intake of water before bedtime to prevent the urge to pee while sleeping.
#2 Follow a Sleep Schedule
Achieving a beauty sleep is not the business of a single day, one needs to consistently follow a sleep schedule to maintain the right quality and quantity of sleep. It’s crucial to sleep and wake up every day at almost the same time, even on weekends.
#3 Invest in a Good Mattress
Sleep experts suggest that your mattresses need replacing every 6 to 8 years. No matter how favorable your bedroom environment is, if you’re sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress, chances are that you will wake up feeling tired and possibly experience body pain. Select the mattress that feels the most comfortable to your body and provides enough support to prevent body ache. Check out the official InsideBedroom blog which has a wide range of different mattresses according to your needs.
#4 Pick your Bedding Wisely
If your bedsheet or pillow cover is made up of an uncomfortable and coarse material, your skin will be the one most to suffer. It is therefore recommended that you pick bedding made up of breathable and soft material like silk, satin, linen, or cotton. While using such material, there is lesser friction on your skin and reduced chances of developing wrinkles and fine lines.
#5 Moisturize your Skin
There is an ever-increasing range of moisturizers, face masks, and night creams that help moisturize your skin before retiring to bed. It is important to wash your face at regular intervals throughout the day to clean your skin pores and remove any dirt. Make sure that you are picking the right type of moisturizer with respect to your skin type to prevent any irritation or allergy.
#6 Remove your Make-up BeforeSleeping
It may sometimes seem like a huge ordeal to remove your make-up but it is one of those things that can simply not be avoided when you’re looking for proper beauty sleep. Overnight make-up can not only ruin your precious beddings but also clog your skin pores and may even cause irritation. It’s therefore always wise to keep a set of face wipes or a make-up remover closer to the bed.
#7 Take Care of your Diet
Stay away from consuming food that may disrupt your bowel movements or lead to a stomach upset. Instead, try including more foods in your diet that are rich in melatonin, magnesium, and vitamins such as bananas, kiwis, cottage cheese, almonds, nuts, etc. Avoid eating very heavy or spicy food close to bedtime to prevent indigestion that can disrupt your sleep.
#8 Exercise
This is one of the most crucial tips for maintaining overall body health and also the key to achieving beautiful sleep. Even working out for as little as 30 minutes in a day removes the additional stress from your body, helps achieve the restorative sleep required by your body, and increases blood circulation for a healthy glow on your skin. However, one must be aware to not place their workout sessions too close to their bedtime as the stimulation from all the activity can make it harder for the body to fall asleep.
#9 Expose Yourself to Light
It’s a widely known fact that exercise helps boost the production of vitamin D in the body which helps repair skin damage. Sunlight also happens to positively impact our circadian rhythm that regulates the various hormones such as melatonin and serotonin that are necessary for the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Allow plenty of sunlight to enter your room in the daytime and if possible, perform your aerobics in the early morning.
#10 Prevent Longer Naps
Short naps in the day are associated with elevating mood, boosting concentration, and reducing stress and fatigue. However, naps that last longer 30 to 40 minutes can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
#11 No Electronics Before Bedtime
The blue light emitting from your electronics like computers, TVs, smartphones, etc., can hinder the synthesis of melatonin and make it harder to fall asleep. Experts recommend getting rid of any such devices that emit blue light at least 90 minutes before bedtime.
#12 Maintain a Pre-bedtime Ritual
A pre-bedtime ritual is simply a set of activities that you perform before retiring to bed. Activities like reading a book, listening to soft music, taking a warm shower or performing light yoga can remarkably destress your body and mind and prepare it for the sleep ahead. In time, your body associates with the activities as something that precedes your sleep and makes it easier to doze off.
#13 Mind your Senses
Setting up a bedroom environment that is favorable to your senses is one of the most crucial steps towards achieving a beautiful sleep. Now that you have got the sense of touch covered with the right mattress and bedding, you should also make sure that the bedroom is the darkest, the coolest, and the most noise-free part of your house. Maintain an optimal temperature while sleeping and make sure that your sleep is not interrupted by external noise or light.
#14 Use an Eye Mask
Even with the utmost care, it is sometimes not possible to block out the light that keeps you awake at night. An eye mask proves to be a lifesaver in such a situation as they ensure that your sleep remains undisturbed from external light, especially while traveling. Make sure that you pick soft and breathable material for the mask as you did with the beddings.
#15 Avoid Caffeine Later in the Day
Caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee should be avoided after lunch hours as caffeine is known to block the effect of adenosine, thus disrupting your sleep cycle. Other energy drinks or medicines that may contain traces of caffeine should also be avoided for the same reasons. As an alternative, you may want to try out certain herbal teas such as valerian root, blue skullcap, lemon balm, etc., that soothe your brain and help you sleep better.
#16 Sleep on your Back
Sleeping on your back is a good way to prevent any direct contact between your bedding and your face. The pressure on your face when sleeping on your stomach or your sides can often lead to wrinkles and fine lines. However, not everybody can sleep comfortably on their backs which is why we recommend that you gradually cultivate the habit step-by-step.
Bottom line:
It is evident by now that interrupted sleep is a major hindrance to achieving restorative beauty sleep. We hope that following these steps will not only help you to overcome sleep interruptions but also help take care of your skin in a better way.
