Thursday 18 / April / 2024
Did you know your body repairs itself while you sleep? This is just as true for your body's skin as it is for your brain and your muscles. How much quality sleep you get each night, and how you prepare yourself for sleep, can make a difference in the look and feel of your body's skin.
"While many people have developed healthy routines to care for the skin on their face, it's just as important to develop a nighttime body care routine too," says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Sheila Farhang based in the US. "And it doesn't have to be complicated. There are simple steps you can follow that will have you covered, from head to toe."
Farhang offers tips on how you can help your skin be at its best - while you're getting your beauty sleep.
1. Practice good sleep hygiene
To give your skin's cells optimal renewal time each night, make sure you get the best quality sleep you can - and enough of it. Want to be sure you're getting the seven to eight hours minimum zzz's most adults need each night? Try the following:
Be consistent about sleep and wake times, even on weekends and days off. Your body gets used to a rhythm, and it can be thrown off by changes - even just springing that clock forward. Sleep in a dark, cool room to fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep.
Minimise noise with a white noise machine or fan if you wake frequently during the night.
Practice a soothing bedtime routine, like turning off gadgets early and enjoying a warm, relaxing shower.
2. Use products that work overnight
Choose products that work overnight to moisturise to revitalise skin, renew your skin's surface, and restore dry skin while you sleep. "If your skin sounds squeaky or feels tight after a shower, it has likely been stripped of its natural moisture," said Farhang.
3. Elevate your nighttime body care routine with a rinse-off body conditioner
Simply applying lotion after you shower may provide only temporary relief, leaving you reapplying frequently. Instead, Farhang recommends a proactive approach.
"You condition your hair, so why not condition your skin?" asked Farhang. "Consider adding an in-shower moisturiser for an added dose of moisture to help stop dry skin before it starts. Using it every night can help you wake up to renewed and radiant skin.
4. Moisturise inside and out
"Hydration is key!" added Farhang. "In addition to using products with formulas supercharged with high quality skincare ingredients like Retinol, it's also important to make sure you're drinking enough water throughout the day."
Most health care professionals recommend drinking at least eight glasses (eight ounces each) of water per day.
5. Moisturise your environment
Especially if you live in a dry climate, or if you are heating your home with dry air while the outside temps are still chilly, consider an in-home humidifier to help keep the air in your home more skin-friendly. Humidifiers are available in many different sizes, including portable units that can be moved from room to room. Using a humidifier will help keep the air from drying out whether you're just relaxing, working from home - or sleeping.
Following these dermatologist recommendations will contribute to a good night's sleep and help your body's skin stay healthy year round.
