Everyone has heard, from their Grandmother to their Teacher to even their Mom say; “Get your beauty sleep!”, but this isn’t just a saying. Beauty Sleep is a true science. From effects on the brain’s memory, astuteness, weight control…there are numerous reports that inform how important sleep and rest are to our health. Still, it often tends to be the one thing that we minimize in terms of priorities.

One place where the evidence of lack of sleep can be truly obvious is on our skin.  As we go through life rest deprivation shows more and more on our faces, day after day. It is visible through dull-lifeless complexions, dark circles, fine lines and, in more extreme cases, rashes and eczema.

World renowned-board certified dermatologist; Dr. Howard Murad asserts, based on his research, that loss of cellular water may be one reason sleepless nights affect our skin increasingly – as we settle into the habit regularly. “Water retention is key to keeping skin moisturized and supple, which can translate to fewer lines and a smoother complexion.”

Negating well restful evenings also “beats-down” on the immune system. This can lead to skin-related problems, such as rashes. According to Dr. Murad, getting sufficient and regular sleep, is the best thing that anyone can do for their skin. His professional recommendation is an ideal amount of six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, time enough to move through the five phases of sleep.

So of course we wanted to understand these 5 phases of sleep and why it is crucial for one to attain to all of them for the healthiest skin possible. We learned that as the body settles into the 4th and deepest stage of rest – regularly referred to as; Delta Sleep and  precedes REM; the last stage of sleep – growth hormones mature and begin cell and tissue repair. Therefore, limited or restless sleep can cut into this imperative restorative process. In the words of Dr. Harold Lancer, dermatologist to the “Hollywood Stars”, “Intermittent waking sleep is nowhere near as beneficial to skin health.”

Increasingly, experts are looking at Beauty holistically: First sleep, then skin products and skin treatments can work more energetically to provide better results. “You cannot treat the skin as an isolated organ, you treat the whole person,” Murad says. He uses this analogy: “Imagine your window frame needs to be replaced. You can just replace the frame or you can find out what damaged it in the first place, say termites or bad plumbing. Similarly, when the skin looks gray and sallow and you have dark circles around your eyes, you can use cold compresses and makeup as a temporary fix or address the underlying issues, such as sleep deprivation.”

One other great piece of advice that Dr. Murad offers is to do your best to refrain from eating heavy or salty meals that are difficult to digest before bedtime. Also remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Nourish the skin from the inside-out. It is just as important as using a topical moisturizer. Dr. Murad also recommends oral supplements such as Omega-3 to help maintain a healthy hydration level.

And get this! Today, even Beauty Spas are getting involved with assisting the rat-race-affected-individual with more rest toward healthier skin. There are many sleep health programs at Day Spas.

Often times we think that we have time. We believe that we can play catch up later on, for prevention that we can take today. Therefore as the experts have urged us and explained, don’t turn to alternatives to provide results that can be obtained simply by using best practices today. More so, research has proven that over time, lack of sleep is quite obvious to on-lookers….Therefore, Strive to be the Best You!

As you are making Weekend Plans, Remember Sleep does equal Beauty!