Are You Getting Enough Beauty Sleep?
Are you getting enough beauty sleep? I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that but waking up after little or no sleep definitely changes the way I look and ultimately the way I feel.
You may think the term ‘beauty sleep’ is made up but in fact it’s been proven to be true! A Swedish study that saw participants photographed after a full 8 hours sleep and then again after being kept awake for 31 hours. These photographs were then shown to a random group of individuals who decided which image was more ‘attractive’ of each of the participants. The outcome was that the sleep deprived images were deemed ‘less attractive and unhealthy’ than their well-rested image!
I know I’m not getting my beauty sleep at the moment because each morning I wake up feeling more tired than the last and my skin is starting to look a little grey…there is only so much make-up can fix! So I thought I would take the time to research the tried and tested ways you can get a better night’s sleep and put them to the test this week:
- Don’t eat too close to bedtime – have your last meal 2hrs before bed, this is because your body will have a sudden burst of energy if you eat before bed and so you will most likely lie awake for a while before you can drift off.
- Don’t watch TV in bed – it stimulates your mind and make you think your bed is where you watch TV not where you sleep.
- Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol – both well known stimulants that have a negative effect on sleep.
- Have a warm bath or shower before bed – to help relax you and send you into a sleepy state!
- Read a book before bed but nothing to stimulating or you’ll be up all night wanting to find out what happens next!
- A glass of warm milk can be helpful.
- Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it.
- And last but not least if you still can’t sleep practice deep breathing – try and slow your breathing down and focus on taking long deep breaths, it’s a great relaxation technique and always makes me drop off to sleep…eventually.
So there you go, it’s a fact that we all need a little beauty sleep – maybe you can mention this to your boss next time you have to pull an all-nighter for work?!
I haven’t had more than two hours sleep at one time for almost 17 years. I had a hystorectomy at that time, and according to certain reports I have read this sometimes affects the harmon levels, and in particular a harmone which tells the brain you are asleep, and therefore don’t need the toilet. Luckily I am retired now and can “nap” when I feel like it, but I would love to go to bed knowing I wouldn’t wake up until breakfast time. I have a condition which meant I was unable to have HRT which may have stopped this happening, and the doctors aren’t able to suggest any form of help.
thank you so much for the advice,i think the biggest problem i always watch tv l i also very rarely have a hot drink i will defently give this a go kind regards…leigh
Leigh I’m exactly the same…so much good stuff on late though it’s hard not to watch! Some good tips here though, so hope it helps!