Sleep might be the closest thing to the fountain of youth. I have never had problems with getting 7-8 hours of good sleep before, but as I’m aging I tend to wake up more often through out the night. Napping has become more important for my health and beauty routine these days. I have always loved taking naps. Naps can range in duration from 5 minutes up to 90 minutes. The best time to nap is in the afternoon between 3:00-5:00pm for about 90 minutes. During these hours you fall asleep faster. This sleep is said to be more “efficient” because you experience deep sleep or “slow wave sleep.” During this mid-afternoon nap you go through a complete sleep cycle from the lightest stage through the deepest stage and back again, so you’ll wake feeling refreshed.
One of the biggest benefits to “deep sleep” napping is the effect of anti-aging and the reduction of cortisol in body. Cortisol also called “the stress hormone,” is secreted in higher levels during the body’s fight or flight response to stress experienced in our daily lives. Napping can help reduce cortisol in the blood and restore a state of hormone equilibrium thus giving your skin “beauty sleep.”
Napping (beauty sleep) is a natural way of improving skin for both women and men according to a study from University Hospital’s Case Medical Center. Napping can help you have fewer wrinkles, tighter skin and even out the skin tone.
Skin repairs itself when we are in a deep sleep. It makes new collagen preventing the skin from sagging giving us plumper skin! During sleep our bodies boost blood flow to skin which means when we wake we have a healthier glow. Sleep deprivation causes a decrease in blood flow to the skin creating dullness. I prefer a boost of blood flow especially as I’m aging. People who don’t get enough rest appear less healthy.
Napping your way to better skin gives a whole new meaning to beauty rest. The research from University Hospitals Case medical center published in Science Daily found this to be true. Scientists discovered that sleep reversed the appearance of fine lines, reduced signs of skin aging, improved the rate of recovery from environmental stressors, and improved recovery from UV radiation exposure. These are four good reasons to start napping if you aren’t already. So go ahead and take some naps if you need them. Napping may be the easiest way to good health and beautiful skin.
YASOU!
(image: pixby/pexels)