The Scientifically-Backed Truth On Beauty Sleep

Catching the right amount of Zzzz has been linked to looking more beautiful and radiant for as long as we can remember. We want to get to the bottom of it; is this just an old wives’ tale? Or is there scientific truth to the concept of beauty sleep?

It’s official, beauty sleep is the real deal

Research has proven that there is a direct correlation between getting a good night’s sleep and being perceived as more attractive. In fact, it even shows that looking less tired makes other people more interested in socialising with you or wanting to be around you. This could be linked to primal disease-avoiding instincts - when you are tired, your immune system is functioning at a lower level.

Another reason people might want to steer clear when you’re sleep-deprived could be down to the direct impact lack of sleep has on your personality. When you are tired, you are often less optimistic and possess less energy to be sociable. This might be why people think it best to avoid engaging in conversation with you.

Check out the experiment here: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.160918

So, getting your beauty sleep could not only help your health but also your social life? It seems so, and the reason for that is how others perceive you and their readiness to be around a person who looks tired. This means looking less tired is the true step to looking more attractive.

What makes you look tired?

Dehydration is often linked to tiredness. This is because your skin looks less supple, youthful and lively. We recommend drinking 2 litres of water per day and applying hydrating products to the skin.

Dark under-eye circles are a major visible concern that leads people to think you are looking exhausted. It is also much more common amongst those who are suffering with dehydration. Adding replenishing products to the under eyes before bed is a great way to help your skin’s regenerative process overnight to reduce the appearance of dark-circles.

According to Cosmopolitan, redness and puffiness within the skin can look a lot like tiredness! This is because a lack of sleep can cause a PH imbalance which prevents the correct amount of moisture being retained in your cells. This is why applying products that have been formulated to fight redness may be another beneficial step for helping your skin along with your catching your beauty sleep. Rose ingredients are perfect for reducing redness in the skin.

How many hours of sleep should we get?

First thing’s first, how many hours in bed do we really need to qualify us for beauty sleep? We’ve all met the person who sleeps for more 10 hours every night and somehow doesn’t feel groggy. Even more shockingly, we’ve all met the person who catches a quick 5 hours and feels amazing. So, what is the healthy amount of time for us to be asleep?

The National Sleep Foundation guidelines states that catching between 7-9 hours of sleep is what’s best for an adult. However, what also needs to be considered is the quality of rest you are getting.

How to achieve high-quality sleep

Ever heard the saying ‘quality not quantity’? Well, for getting your beauty sleep that saying rings true. The most important part of your slumber is REM sleep as this is when your brain restores and regenerates the areas of your brain responsible for both memory and learning. When you lack REM sleep, it can negatively impact your health.

Many external factors can get in the way of you falling into REM sleep. According to Dr. Lawrence Epstein, consuming caffeine and nicotine is a leading cause in preventing us from falling into a deeper slumber. Although you may still fall asleep, these substances are likely to disrupt the pattern of your sleep and the retention of the deeper levels you can reach.

Other external factors that can prevent a satisfying sleep include creating a snooze-worthy bedroom environment; try a cool temperature, low lights and cranking down any noise to create an environment of stillness.

Your bed-time routine can also help to create the most satisfying sleep for you. Before bed, consuming less screen-time lowers your blue-light intake to help with better sleep. Spend the half-hour before heading to bed replacing the screen with a book and applying a relaxing night-time skincare routine. For this, we recommend soothing creams, oils or serums that feel rich on the skin and are relaxing to apply.

Try our Retinol Night Cream or the Rosehip & Marula Oil.

By creating a habit of a relaxing night-time routine, you are subconsciously linking these actions to sleep. This means you’ll find it easier to fall asleep and get a better-quality sleep at that.