11 August 2020 | Conseil du bien dormir
You know those days when you wake looking tired, with a dull complexion and bags under your eyes. A recent study has proven the influence of sleep on the quality of our skin. Thus, it seems poor sleep increases the onset of wrinkles, among other things.
So is sleeping the new natural anti-ageing treatment? Sleep plays a fundamental role in the proper functioning of the organism: stress relief and rest, cerebral maturation, stimulation of the immune system, learning and memorisation, cell regeneration. Which from this list contributes to making you even more beautiful?
At night, cell regeneration increases. At around 1 am the multiplication of cells reaches its peak. Indeed, the body takes advantage of the nigh-time peace, that is to say the absence of external disruptive elements, to repair and regenerate itself.
Quality sleep is essential for health but also for limiting the effects of ageing on our skin. This link was made by researchers at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The result of the study is clear: lack of sleep is clearly a cause of skin ageing signs.
There is therefore a correlation between skin health and sleep deprivation. The researchers analysed the habits of 60 women, aged from 30 to 49, half of whom suffered from poor sleep. A clinical evaluation of skin and several other clinical tests were carried out on the study participants and the findings are clear: after a good night’s sleep, skin exposed to stress factors recovers better. In the case of consistently bad nights, the signs of skin ageing such as wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation and sagging increase. Moreover, the perception of our skin and face is much improved when we sleep better. Sleeping therefore does indeed make you beautiful!
Silk: beauty ally
Many have woken in the morning with sheet marks on their faces, but what is this exactly? Almost 97% of the population sleep on cotton pillowcases. The problem with cotton is that it does not slide and so the fabric continually rubs and pulls on delicate parts of the face and neck. As we age, our skin becomes more fragile, less elastic and sheet marks take longer to disappear and slowly but surely become wrinkles. Only pillowcases made from a very soft and non-abrasive fabric like natural mulberry silk limit the effects of friction between the fabric and our skin:
- Silk has an anti-ageing effect: Silk contains natural proteins and 18 essential amino acids which speed up the metabolism of skin cells and thus help counter the effects of ageing. Unlike the much rougher cotton fibre, the soft texture of silk is much more pleasant on the skin.
- Silk dehydrates less than cotton: One of the properties of cotton is its ability to absorb up to 30% of its weight in liquid. The absorbency of silk is only 11%. It therefore dehydrates the epidermis less than cotton and maintains the skin's natural hydration overnight.
- Silk is hypo-allergenic: Silk provides a barrier against impurities due to the very structure of its very fine fibres; there is very little space for dust and other allergens that irritate the skin and eyes. Moreover, the enzymes in silk prevent the appearance of small imperfections and help in the regulation of acne because the skin breathes and rests on a much more hygienic surface.
- Silk is an excellent temperature regulator: Cool when it is hot, hot when it is cold, silk is a heat regulator because it allows the body to perfectly maintain temperature. It is particularly suitable for people who are prone to night-time hot flushes or who may have inflamed or even simply just sensitive skin.
Sleep is probably one of the best natural anti-ageing treatments. It is essential for the detoxification of our organism as well as for cell regeneration. We might never think of sleep as the cause of our wrinkles. However, a regular good night’s sleep protects us from the first signs of skin ageing. Sleeping provides us with a deep recovery session and yet requires no great effort: except getting started!
