How Sleep Can Affect Acne

Lack of sleep has proven to be detrimental for the body, more so for your skin. You automatically associate lack of sleep with dark circles, reduced stamina, puffy eyes and sallow cheeks. This apart, not getting enough sleep can worsen pre-existing acne conditions. For those who have acne-prone skin, it is all the more important to get enough sleep as it is to get proper food, lots of water and oxygen. Here’s why it is important to sleep your way to acne-free skin –

The Science Behind Sleep

Adequate sleep is important but so is the quality of sleep. The quality of sleep determines the physical restoration of your body every night and affects brain activity. Sleep also plays an important role in the appearance of the skin. This is because…

Sleeping decreases stress levels in the body, which in turn, regularizes specific hormones, such as testosterone. An over-production of testosterone due to stress or other conditions, could lead to the excessive production of sebum and as a result, clogged pores. Likewise, lack of sleep could also tamper with blood-sugar levels. A drop in blood-sugar due to lack of sleep could lead to slow cell turnover and reduces the chances of skin restoration significantly. This can further aggravate the appearance of whiteheads, pustules, cystic acne or regular pimples.

What You Can Do

• Get a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This will strengthen the immune system and give your skin the chance to regenerate new skin cells to battle inflammation and acne.
• If you find that you can’t fall asleep easily, avoid drinking products that contain too much caffeine or alcohol before you hit the sack. Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol has proven to augment cases of acne.
• Make sure your body gets enough exercise during the day to help you sleep better at night. Working out or exercising can raise the temperature of the body and give it enough time to cool down as soon as you are on the bed. Exercise is also a great way of keeping your pores healthy and unclogged.
• Stick to a regular bedtime schedule. You’ll be surprised with what it can do for your skin!