Sleep & Ageing

Sleep deprivation not only fails to do your skin any favours, it actually accelerates skin ageing.

Yes, you read that right: sleep deprivation accelerates ageing.

In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, physician-scientists at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Centre found that sleep quality impacts skin function and ageing. [1]

According to the above study, “sleep deprived women show signs of premature skin ageing and a decrease in their skin’s ability to recover after sun exposure. Arguably, inadequate sleep is correlated with reduced skin health and accelerates skin ageing”. [2]

Generally, chronic sleep disorder has been linked to medical problems such as memory and cognitive performance, diabetes, obesity, cancer and immune deficiency syndrome; however, little is ever mentioned about its effects on skin function (ibid).

The Facts

Lack of sleep can lead to age-related issues such as an ageing brain, growth hormone deficiencies, high insulin levels, and many other markers of human ageing.

Anti-ageing research has shown that men in their 30’s are showing human growth hormone levels of men that are in their 60’s and 70’s.

Insulin levels in men and women are off the charts as well.

Human ageing is highly accelerated as a result of sleep deprivation. [3]

Skin function and appearance is also impacted by sleep quality, which is vital to the growth and renewal of the body’s immune and physiological systems.

Poor sleep quality can accelerate signs of skin ageing and weaken the skin’s ability to repair itself at night. [4]

Skin functions as an important barrier from external stressors such as environmental toxins and sun-induced DNA damage.

Lack of sleep increases the hormone cortisol in the body and decreases the amount of human growth hormone in the body–the body begins to wrinkle as a result and accelerates ageing.

Excess cortisol breaks down your skin.

Growth Hormones keep the skin more supple and youthful–however, skin elasticity will break down if GH is reduced.

Wrinkles will appear sooner than they should.

Don’t let sleep deprivation accelerate ageing and take years away from your life.

At Night

Turn off electronics because the flickering light from your computer or TV stimulates your brain into a false sense of alertness. This also effects the quality of your sleep.

Block out light in the bedroom.

Grab a glass of warm milk.

Curl up with a book. Nothing feels quite as good as drifting to sleep with a novel in hand, and the quality of your sleep will be much higher.

And don’t forget to moisturise well before bed — no need to put your skin to bed at a disadvantage.

FYI: The Study

If you’d like to read about the study: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130723006330/en/Estée-Lauder-Clinical-Trial-Finds-Link-Sleep

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