Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your health. If you’re not getting enough shut eye then you might find it more difficult to cope with the problems life throws at you, you’ll also find it more difficult to concentrate and your memory won’t be as good.
The other thing that happens when you lack sleep is that you produce too much cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone, we need some cortisol, but too much puts our body into stress mode and that’s very bad for your skin.
If you’re stressed you are more likely to have acne or rosacea breakouts. You can get spots and dark circles under your eyes. That must be why it’s called beauty sleep. If you want to stay healthy and keep your skin looking good then make sure you’re getting enough good quality sleep. Here are some tips to help you:
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant people use to stay awake and alert. So it’s not what you want before bedtime. Caffeine stays in your bloodstream for a long time. But, if you stop drinking caffeinated drinks after midday your body should be relaxed by bedtime.
Create a routine
Start a going to bed routine about an hour before bed. This will help you to relax. You could, for example, remove your makeup and then take a warm bath or shower. Afterward, spend some time moisturising your skin and treating your hands and feet. When you’ve finished get into bed with a book or listen to a play on the radio (set the timer so the radio turns off once the play has finished).
Phones and tablets
Put these electronic devices away a good hour before you go to bed. It will help you not to think so much about the things you need to do the next day. If you are tempted to check your phone if you wake up during the night, don’t bring it into the bedroom. Instead use an alarm clock to wake you up.
Temperature, light, and noise
Your bedroom should be cool to sleep in. Optimum temperature is around 18ºc. Try to make your room as dark as you can. If light is coming through the windows try blackout curtains or wear an eyeshade.
If you can’t get to sleep because your partner snores, try going to bed before he or she does. That way you can get to sleep before they come to bed and you won’t be disturbed. If noise really bothers you consider buying a white noise machine.
image:istock.com/Deagreez
