People do not get enough sleep nowadays. Everyone, regardless of age, seems to have so many other things to do in their lives that the practice of resting has turned from a necessity into a mere nuisance. With so many successful people sharing to the public how rarely they get the recommended eight hours of shuteye every night, sleeplessness has been romanticized as something that people should strive for and not the problem that it is.
However, sleep is important. Your body relies on sleep to repair the damages it has accrued while you push yourself to fulfill your responsibilities at work or at home. It generates the energy that you need to be able to do what you want or need to do every single day. It is good for your physical health and has positive effects on your mental well-being.
Beauty Sleep: More Than Just Fairy Tale
Here is another reason why you would want to put everything down and go to sleep every night. Sleep can impact your appearance.
You probably have already seen the effects of getting little to no sleep at some point. Maybe as a student, you pulled an all-nighter to finish a paper or review for an exam. Perhaps, as an adult, you chose to spend the night not in bed but at a party.
Either way, the result will be the same. You will wake up with dry skin, dark bags under your eyes, and a couple of angry pimples on your face. You can mask it off with skincare and makeup, but there are long-term effects of sleeplessness on your appearance.
When Sleeplessness Lead to Bad Oral Health
A person’s smile is their most beautiful trait. Because of bad oral health, people lose the confidence to smile.
However, brushing your teeth at least twice a day is not enough to maintain your pearly whites. You also have to floss, reduce your consumption of sugary treats, visit your dentist regularly, and get eight hours of sleep.
Unfortunately, sleeplessness has been linked to an increased risk of periodontitis, a severe form of hum infection that, if not addressed, can lead to tooth loss. It is caused by bacteria which has been allowed to survive and grow in the mouth.
Periodontitis develops from lack of sleep because you are more prone to inflammation, including in the gums. Moreover, without adequate sleep, your immune system is weakened, making it unable to fight off infections.
In addition, sleep disorders have been associated with bruxism, a condition in which the person unconsciously grinds or bites down on their teeth. This causes damage to the teeth or dental appliances, including implants, crowns, and custom porcelain veneers.
Not Getting Enough Sleep Will Age You
Aging is not a bad thing. It is an achievement that should be celebrated, not a cause of embarrassment. However, not everyone is happy with the physical signs that come with growing old such as fine lines and wrinkles. It is especially disconcerting to look older when you are young.
A previous study has found a strong correlation between inadequate sleep and premature skin aging. Researchers evaluated the skin of pre-menopausal women between the ages of 30 to 49, half of whom do not get the prescribed eight hours of shuteye every night. They found that the skin of the women who had a better quality of sleep recovered quickly from stressors such as sun exposure and environmental toxins. Meanwhile, those who were sleep-deprived exhibited more signs of skin aging, including fine lines, uneven skin tone, and reduced skin elasticity.
Sleep is restorative. By giving your body time to rest, you also allow your skin to recuperate and bounce back from the damages it accumulated throughout the day.
Acne Breakouts Incoming
Your skin will react badly from high levels of cortisol, the hormone released when you are stressed. And, losing sleep can make you feel stressed.
Your body’s levels of cortisol naturally decrease every time you go to sleep. If you remove sleep from your daily schedule, you will not have the time to calm your mind and body. The cortisol in your system will be present all the time which will lead to breakouts of acne.
Acne can leave dark spots and noticeable scars that will take a long time to fade. It will also be detrimental to your mental health and may forever damage your self-esteem.
