We’ve all heard of beauty rest, but getting a good night’s sleep is a more important part of looking good than you may expect. There are several aspects to healthy sleep that keep us looking young and refreshed. When we get a poor night’s rest, our exhaustion, poor mood, and lowered physical health all show up on our face.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to improve your sleep quality. Here’s a look at why sleep is so important, and a few ways you can work to get a better night’s rest:
Comfort Concerns
You might be surprised to learn that the room in which you sleep could be contributing negatively to your slumber. With that in mind, Alaska Sleep Clinic recommends taking a look around your bedroom to make sure you have a suitable sleep environment. If you live on a busy street, you may have lights coming through your window, pulling you out of sleep cycles so you’re not getting proper rest. Try investing in a good set of blackout curtains or blinds so that your room is as dark as possible overnight.
Another comfort concern is your bed. If you haven’t updated your mattress in a while, that could be the source of your problems. An old mattress will wear down unevenly, causing poor sleep posture and making it hard to get a good nights’ rest. Before you buy a new one, however, look into what kind of firmness is right for your body type and sleep style.
As an example, back and side sleepers need different kinds of mattresses, as do heavier and lighter individuals. When you start shopping, you’ll find ample options to meet your needs. Saatva mattresses, for example, come in various firmness levels, including plush soft, luxury firm, or firm versions. Tailoring your mattress to your body is a good way to enhance your sleep quality.
Unhealthy Habits
Sometimes there are things the (non)sleeper is doing that could be contributing to the trouble. It’s therefore necessary to identify habits or lifestyle choices you’re making that might be disrupting your sleep. For example, many people use their phone in bed. This is a terrible idea, since the blue light from electronics inhibits your body’s ability to produce melatonin.
This also applies if you watch TV or use a laptop in bed – any kind of backlit screen will delay the production of this important hormone, keeping you energized well past bedtime. If you must use your gadgets at night, add some blue light-blocking glasses to your nighttime gear so you avoid feeling the effects.
“Looking Tired” Explained
There are few statements friends and family can make that are more annoying than, “Wow, you look tired!” It’s basically a loving (or in some cases, passive-aggressive) way to say, “You look terrible.” But why do we look worse when we’re tired?
As NBC News explains, there are several reasons why poor sleep affects our overall look. For starters, being tired can ruin your ability to have a positive expression. Even if you’re not smiling, if you’re rested you’re more likely to look content when wearing a neutral expression. Get a bad night’s rest, however, and your bad mood is likely to show through.
Moreover, a bad night’s sleep can cause you to have dark circles, or red and puffy eyes, and it can lead to breakouts in your skin. If you regularly have bad sleep, the stress it causes can even lead to premature wrinkles, making you look older than you actually are.
Serious Health Issues
Beyond damaging your looks, bad sleep can also age you by harming your health. If you don’t sleep well, you’re more likely to gain weight and get sick. You’re also at higher risk for serious chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. These issues age you, make you feel terrible, and put you at risk for even more severe health complications down the line.
Take steps to improve your environment and your habits. By making sleep a priority, you’ll see huge improvements in your health, your mood, and your looks. They don’t call it beauty rest for nothing!
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