Bad Sleep = Bad Skin

Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together
— Thomas Dekker

Sometimes life gets so busy there just aren't enough hours in the day.

So what do we do? We skimp on sleep.

As a society, we are chronically sleep deprived. We steal precious time from those deserving sleep-hours to get just a little bit more done. 

And then we feel like crap the next day. 

Or maybe you truly believe you don't need 8 hours of sleep a night. You say, "I function just fine on 5 or 6 hours." 

Yeah, well, I'm here to tell you that you should stop lying to yourself. 

 
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5 reasons losing sleep accelerates aging:

1. Inadequate sleep increases cortisol levels, the stress hormone that makes you look more tired and feel more stressed.

Cortisol causes the skin to become inflamed and interferes with collagen production. Over time your skin will lose firmness and elasticity causing lines, wrinkles, dryness, and thin skin.

2.The body releases more glucocorticoid, which disrupts cellular structure. The inflammatory response increases acne breakouts, skin sensitivity, and other more severe conditions.

 
 

3. Your body circulates blood inefficiently to the dermis and epidermis causing a lower oxygen supply to those vital organs. This results in dull, lifeless skin that is on an accelerated aging pathway.

4. Dark circles under the eyes and puffiness are more likely to result. Lack of sleep causes the blood vessels to dilatemaking dark circles more prominent. 

During sleep, the body's hydration re-balances and recovers moisture, while excess water is processed and removed.

 
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5. Your body can't produce enough growth hormone, which is responsible for repairing and renewing cells and prevents premature aging.

Without deeper levels of sleep, this won't occur, which allows small breakdowns to accumulate, rather than being reversed overnight. 

Life is short and we only get one time to live it. Be careful not to confuse getting more activities in now with sacrificing what your body needs for later.

So don't sacrifice sleep. Your older self will thank you for it.

Allison Bingham