A Better Night’s Sleep Can Improve Your Skin
Are you sleeping well? Chances are many of us can do something to improve our sleep. And knowing that a good night’s rest is a crucial component to our immune system and therefore our skin, it may be worthwhile to make the effort here.
I thought I was sleeping well. That was until I started really paying attention to it. While I was in bed for 8-9 hours, I noticed I was having trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, and experiencing general restlessness. But the good news was, I found simple ways to take matters back into my own hands to have a solid night of rest!
Sleep can be an overlooked thing in our society, but it greatly affects our health. Shortened hours and poor quality of sleep results in an impaired immune system, which is directly tied to the health of our skin. If we are not going to sleep and waking up around the same times, we are also out of line with our body’s natural Circadian rhythm, which further harms our immune system. We can all feel our body’s response to several days of bad sleep – we function less optimally, appear tired, and our happiness can wean. Sleep is also the time of day our body spends the most time recharging and working on itself, so lack of zzz’s affects this as well.
Why not take some time to examine how you sleep? Try these exercises over the next week:
• Turn off electronics 10-30 minutes before bedtime and keep all electronics out of your bedroom. This allows your brain to “shut down” instead of staying wired in the space you should be associating with rest.
• Monitor your sleep using an app. I use “Sleep Cycle” to chart how much I am sleeping during the night and it also charts my overall quality of sleep in a percentage form, which makes it very easy for me to analyze.
• Use a meditation app to help you fall asleep. I use “iSleep Easy” designed by the great minds of Meditation Oasis. Mary Maddox talks me down into sleep and I leave the background music on for about 20 minutes afterwards. Before it stops, I’m solidly passed out.
If you’re still having trouble falling asleep, I would suggest meditating right before bed. Supplement “Theanine with Relera” is a natural alternative to drowsy sleep medications by Source Naturals that may also help guide you to a place of less stress and anxiety. I also use a light alarm clock which gradually increases its light and then wakes me up with birds chirping. I’ll never go back to a regular alarm clock again!
Whichever you choose to incorporate, an increased mindfulness will result in a better night’s rest. Hope these tips help you get those healthy zzz’s!
Elise May, CN + LE, is the owner and practitioner behind SKINutritious. She has helped over 1,000 clients clear acne with detoxing treatments, clear skin coaching, and holistic skincare.
Work with Elise. Book online here.
