Beauty Sleep Explained: Everything You Need To Know
Beauty is more than skin deep. So why does “beauty sleep” get so much attention? Does sleep really impact “beauty”? The answer is yes - it does. And beauty sleep can do more than help with skin and hair. It impacts inner beauty too.
What Is the Meaning of Beauty Sleep?
Beauty sleep is a term used to describe the impact of a good night's sleep on “beauty”. People often use the term when talking about getting a good night’s sleep before a big event or special day, especially when appearances are expected to be more important. Weddings, first day of school, family photos, the first day of a new job or a birthday can all be reasons to “get some beauty sleep”.
Beauty sleep really isn’t that hard to achieve, either. Recommendations are that adults should get between 7 - 9 hours of sleep a night. In order to take advantage of the beauty benefits of sleep, 7 - 9 hours is all you need.
The image on the left is a study participant after 8 hours of sleep. on the right is after sleeping only 6 hours for 5 nights.
Why Does Sleep Equal Beauty?
Sleep is all about giving our bodies the time and energy to heal, rest and repair. Skin, hair, nails and completion can benefit from quality sleep by giving your body the time to rest and relax. Our bodies after all are living things.
They conducted a study in the UK where they took photos of women after getting 8 hours of sleep and then after only 6 hours of sleep for 5 nights in a row. According to the study, “on average, they reported a 20% decline in self-esteem over the course of the study with participants saying they felt 33% less attractive at the end of the test.”
Aside from making skin glow, hair shine and under eye bags disappear, a good night's sleep also makes you feel emotionally refreshed. Often a good night's sleep makes you feel lighter the next day. When you feel good you’re more likely to smile, to look others in the eye, to laugh and to feel confident in yourself. All of these actions flow from the inside out and make someone more beautiful. After all, beauty is not just about skin, hair and nails. It is about how we approach our days and treat the people around us. It’s hard to give back to those around us when we are tired.
The Impact of Being Tired
Lack of sleep - especially quality sleep - can make your hair dull, your eyes tired and your complexion waxy. It’s your body responding to a lack of rest.
A lack of sleep can also impact your mental state, making you quicker to anger. This is where sleep and inner beauty come into play again. Anger and tiredness unfortunately feed into each other so getting beauty sleep is beneficial for your inner beauty, too.
Being tired can also make it harder to have energy for healthy choices. Without energy it’s difficult to cook healthy meals, make time to exercise, spend time with family or get outside.
What Do You Need for Beauty Sleep?
At the end of the day you don’t need anything for beauty sleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping, eye masks, noise machines, updating your bedding or even a sleep study can help you address the root issue. However, there are no “extra” requirements for beauty sleep. This means that anyone and everyone can benefit from a proper sleep routine.
Rethink Your Beauty Sleep
Getting 7 - 9 hours of sleep is vital to feeling beautiful - inside and out. So next time you need a confidence boost, reflect on your sleep schedule. Consider getting a few nights of beauty rest and wake up feeling refreshed, glowing, confident and ready for anything.