8 Top Tips For Better Beauty Sleep

How much money have you spent on beauty lotions and potions in the last year only for all that good and expensive work to be undone by a lack of sleep?

We all love pampering ourselves, looking our best and putting-off the ageing process. But the true secret to youthful looks is right in front of you, you've heard of it before, and it's cheaper than anything else you've tried. It's called BEAUTY SLEEP.

Scientists agree that those who get a regular 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep look more youthful and attractive than those who are deprived of sleep. In fact, in one study, conducted at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and published in the British Medical Journal, 20 young people were photographed after a good night's sleep and again after a broken night's sleep. Members of the public were then asked to rate the photographs in terms of attractiveness and the clear winners were the well-rested. Sounds obvious when you think about it, doesn't it.

8 Top Tips for better beauty sleep

1. Get into a good sleep habit.

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This routine will help get your body get into a good routine for sleep and it will help your sleep and help your skin recover as a result.

2. Treat yourself to a better pillowcase.

Sleeping on a fine cotton, satin or silk pillowcase with a high thread count will be kinder to your skin. And it makes you feel like Royalty!

3. Sleep on white sheets and pillowcases.

While looking pretty and making your bedroom really "pop," Overly coloured materials often use dyes that can be unkind to sensitive skin.

4. Sleep on your back.

Repeated pressure on the skin caused by side or foetal sleeping can cause facial creasing, and eventually lead to permanent, set-in lines on the face.

5. Change your pillows and pillowcases regularly

Make sure you change your bedding regularly so you're not resting your lovely skin on top of a nest of bacteria for 8 hours at a time. That thought is really gross!

6. Sleep with a humidifier in the room.

This is particularly true in winter or if you're in hot place that requires air conditioning. We all know it's good to keep hydrated by drinking lots of water, but don't forget the importance of keeping hydrated externally. Ever use moisturiser on your face? You can help yourself by sleeping around moist air.

7. Try to avoid alcohol and salty food before bedtime

This will dehydrate your body. Your body over-compensates for this by collecting natural fluids around the eyes and in other places, leading to that puffy-eyed, tired look.

8. Get a good mattress.

We really can't stress enough the importance of good sleep to health and beauty. When we sleep our cells are busy rebuilding and repairing themselves. Lack of sleep drastically impairs this function and bad sleep also leads to stress, which causes the capillaries to tighten, meaning the body's flow of nutrients to the skin is reduced, causing skin and hair to look dull and lifeless.