We’ve all had one of those days: you wake up, look in the mirror and wish you could go back to sleep. Dark circles loom under your eyes, and opening for a fresh start can feel akin to leveraging an old garage door that hasn’t been touched since the 1970s. Slow and creaky.
The attraction of a warm bed can be hard to resist. Unfortunately, much like the rest of the world, you probably have to get up, get ready and face the music. But, obviously, most of us aren’t rested when we do.
A small study done earlier this year and reported on CBC.ca showed that millions of Canadians are at risk of developing a serious sleep condition. Few of us are ever diagnosed.
Furthermore, Canada ranked as the third most sleep-deprived country in a study involving 13 countries, and a lack of sleep has been called an ‘epidemic’ among many groups, including Canadian teens. (Of course, if you aren’t a teen yourself, you may have one, and this could very well be what’s keeping you up at night!)
The problem is, it’s widely known that sleep deprivation affects your health. Lack of rest weakens your cardiovascular system, and is a contributing factor in the development of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity, among other problems. Not fun!
The story is no different when it comes to your skin. Scientists have already proven that your skin ages faster when you get less rest.
Scientifically speaking, when you’re sleep-deprived, your epidermis recovers more slowly from exposure to environmental stressors such as toxins and ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
Why? A study done at the University of California, Irvine found that your circadian rhythms are partially responsible for this. Natural day-night cycles regulate your skin stem cell metabolism and expansion. This helps protect and nurture your skin cells. When your rhythms are out of synch, you can’t recover as quickly.
So, are you diving for the sheets? The good news is a wonky circadian clock can be rewound.
The majority of adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, and you CAN be in charge with the right approach.
If you’re finding it hard to turn in early, consider these tips on getting to bed at the right time, on a regular basis.
Your beauty sleep matters! Indulge and see the results.
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