A good night’s sleep is one thing but sticking to a nighttime routine can work wonders for your health in more ways than one.
According to the Sleep Foundation, one potential benefit of so-called “beauty sleep” may be a reduction in wrinkles, as research suggests that without sufficient sleep the immune system is weakened, which can impact the quality and strength of collagen.
When proteins like collagen and elastin are constantly produced, the skin remains elastic and flexible, which is associated with youthfulness.
That said, sleep experts claim that certain sleeping positions can have the opposite effect and stimulate visible signs of ageing.
Rebecca Swain of Winstons Beds said: “Unfortunately, those who struggle with a pillow face after a heavy night’s sleep are prone to wrinkles.”
She continued: “When the skin rubs across pillows or sheets at night, it can cause premature wrinkles and lines to develop especially around our eyes and mouth.
“Although they are an inevitable and natural part of ageing, there are ways to prevent them from developing before they become permanent.
“Luckily simple nighttime changes can prevent premature ageing, including sleeping on your back instead of your stomach or side.”
According to Rebecca, sleeping face down lends itself to many skin concerns and is considered the “worst position to sleep in” by experts.
When the whole face is pressed into a pillow it can lead to “chronic” changes to the skin, contributing to excessive wrinkles – even at a younger age.
Side-sleeping is just as damaging as it reinforces vertical expression wrinkles like frown and worry lines which are notoriously hard to reduce once they appear.
Rebecca claimed that the most skin-friendly sleep position for “prolonged and youthful skin” is on the back. This eliminated the risk of sleep wrinkles which are caused by repeated pressure as the face pushes into a pillow or mattress.
Of course, it’s important to note that no matter how you sleep, it’s hard to reap the benefits when getting less than the recommended six to eight hours per night.
Sleep deprivation on any level can quickly show in someone’s appearance as it leads to a rapid depletion of skin elasticity and plumpness, creating fine lines and more wrinkles overall.
