NIGHT WORK

Putting off bedtime to fit more in? Your skin might be paying the price. We ask the experts about the complexion benefits of catching more Zs.

- Sally Hunwick

With life back in full swing and our diaries bursting, it’s little wonder we are once again slicing into our sleep schedule to cram in a bit more. The juggle is real but the downside of regularly cutting back on the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night is not only the risk of falling asleep at your desk at 3pm. Turns out that having good sleep hygiene and keeping a regular bedtime delivers a better complexion in both the short and long term. We spoke to the experts to learn what we can do to get the most out of our pillow time.

THE NIGHT SHIFT

Habitually hitting “next episode” on Emily in Paris into the wee hours? It might pay skin dividends to stick to a regular bedtime instead. “Studies prove that sleep deprivation takes a toll on our skin,” says Dr Helen Knaggs, head of global research & development for Nu Skin. “Not getting enough sleep for a prolonged period of time can cause us to look tired and older, increasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as affecting skin tone and texture.”

That’s because skin on the night shift behaves differently from skin during the day, switching from its protective daytime mode to repair mode while we sleep. “Many of our body’s repair processes occur when we rest, so not getting enough sleep deprives our repair processes and can have a knock-on effect on our skin,” explains Knaggs.

Night-time is also when our skin’s defences are down, so it’s the moment when our complexion is more receptive to actives such as retinol, enzymes and AHAs. It’s also a great time to boost hydration levels with ingredients such as peptides, ceramides and hyaluronic acid. So, deprive your body of sleep and you’re also precluding your complexion of time with skin-boosting ingredients.