Sleep Your Way to Younger Looking Skin

Nighttime is the right time to take years off your face. "Hormonal changes boost blood flow to the skin, brightening it overnight," says Melvin Elson, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at Vanderbilt School of Nursing. Skin temps are higher, too, so age-fighting potions seep deeper for better results. And even though you're resting, your skin is hard at work. Studies show that cell turnover is 8 times faster at night, softening wrinkles.

On the flip side, as anyone who's pulled an all-nighter can attest, the consequences — pasty-looking skin and dark circles — aren't pretty. "Even worse, not getting the recommended 8 hours increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which may slow collagen production, promoting wrinkles," says Jyotsna Sahni, MD, a sleep medicine doctor at Canyon Ranch in Tucson. To maximize your beauty sleep, follow this routine nightly to wake up with the complexion of your dreams.

Wash Your Face         -      Scroll Down for More Details about Mario Badescu Products

You should always remove your makeup and be particularly careful around the delicate eye are. Use a special cleanser for eye makeup removal such as: Mario Badescu Eye Make-up Remover Cream (2 oz.)

Removing make-up, oil, and other impurities helps keep pores tight and skin blemish free. Anti-aging treatments can also penetrate deeper on a clean surface. For dry skin, look for a creamy cleanser such as Mario Badescu Cleansing Milk With Carnation and Rice Oil (16 oz.) ($20) For acne-prone or oily skin, a gel formula such as Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel (16 oz.) ($20) If your skin is sensitive, wait 10 minutes after cleansing before applying anti-agers.

Rejuvenate with a Retinoid 

These Vitamin-A derivatives are key to youthful-looking skin. "But because exposure to sunlight can deactivate their potency, it's best to apply retinoids at night," says Patricia Farris, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine. Start by using an OTC retinol-containing cream or lotion every other night until skin becomes acclimated to the side effects. Try Neutrogena Tone Correcting Concentrated Serum Night from Ageless Intensives ($22; drugstores) or La Roche-Posay Biomedic Retinol Cream 15 ($52; drugstores). For more improvement, try Rx Renova, atralin, or Refissa, a newly available retinoid in a moisturizing base.

Dot Undereyes with Vitamin K Cream

In a 2003 study by Elson, women who applied an undereye cream containing vitamin K and retinol every night for 12 weeks saw their dark circles improve 33%. Try NeoStrata Bionic Eye Cream ($50; skinstore.com) or Murad Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15 ($67; sephora.com). Like retinol, vitamin K is sensitive to ultraviolet light and should be used only at night. BONUS: The retinol helps ease crow's feet.

Apply a Mega-Moisturizer

Due to a nighttime increase in temperature and water loss, extra hydration is a must, says Jenny Kim, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine and dermatology at the UCLA School of Medicine. For best results, look for a cream with the superhydrators hyaluronic acid or glycerin, which attract water to skin. The extra dose of softening also makes wrinkles less noticeable in the morning. Try Mario Badescu Hydrating Moisturizer With Biocare and Hyaluronic Acid (2 oz.) ($20) or MD Skincare Maximum Moisture Treatment ($54; mdskincare.com).

THE NIGHT STUFF

Find the newest anti-aging creams to rejuvenate your skin while you sleep at prevention.com/nightcream.

4 Sleep Tricks for Amazing Skin

1. Sleep On Your Back

Lying on your stomach or on the same side every night can etch permanent sleep lines into your skin, says Patricia Farris, MD. If you can't adjust, switch to a satin pillowcase; the silky texture prevents crinkles.

2. Raise Your Head

Stack a few pillows beneath your head to avoid puffy eyes. "If you keep your head above your heart, fluid won't accumulate in your face," says Farris.

3. Invest In A Humidifier  

Dry, hot air sucks moisture from skin. A humidifier puts water in the air, for soft and supple skin.

4. Get Deeper Slumber

Use the bedroom for sleep and sex only — doing so trains your mind to associate your bed with getting Zzzs. Avoid caffeine and exercise for 3 to 5 hours before bedtime, and limit alcohol at night; each can keep you from solid slumber. Make sure your room is dark and cool (the ideal temp for sleep is 65°F). To transition into sleep mode, don't watch TV or go online for an hour before turning in.

Sleep - We All Need It

There's simply no way around it... sleep is something we all need.

Some of us need just a few hours each night while others cannot function properly on any less than a full eight hours. Not getting enough sleep can impact work, relationships and life in general. In fact, sleep is essential for a healthy and happy life.

While 8 hours of sleep each night is a standard rule of thumb, some people find they need a little more or a little less, with somewhere between 7 and 9 hours being ideal for most.

Are You Getting Enough Good Quality Sleep?

Insomnia is a problem that affects millions of people each and every night. If you're one of them, you'd probably welcome any method that would guarantee you'd never suffer through another sleepless night.

There's no doubt that having first hand knowledge of how difficult life can be when you're not sleeping gives you a true appreciation for how valuable rest and recovery is.

Insomnia can be a chronic condition for some people... maybe it is for you right now. It might begin as a symptom of an illness or during a particularly stressful time in life. In either case, the situation causes a huge disruption for those who suffer... many spend years struggling to find a way to finally get some sleep. It can be extremely frustrating to say the least.

The Traditional Approach To Insomnia

Traditional medicine offers many alternatives for those who suffer from serious insomnia. Sleeping pills are commonly prescribed and although they do adequately treat the insomnia, they also often have serious side-effects.

One of the most serious side-effects is that they are often addictive. It becomes a trade-off for those who choose this approach. Although their insomnia is treated, they become dependent on medication and in some cases have to stay on that medication for the rest of their lives.

Natural Alternatives Are Becoming More Attractive

There are a number of natural alternatives that can be used to treat insomnia. Some of these are in the form of a pill or a tablet consisting of a combination of herbs.

Herbal teas are another popular choice for people who suffer from sleep problems. You simply brew a pot of the fragrant tea and sip it shortly before bed. The soothing effects of the tea lull you to sleep without the chemicals associated with traditional sleep medications. There are a variety of these types of teas available and the taste is very welcome and pleasant.

An old stand-by that many people turn to when they suffer from the occasional bout of insomnia is a warm glass of milk. There's a chemical called tryptophan that gets released in milk when it's heated. It works to relax the body and help you to drift off to sleep. Besides being a natural remedy for insomnia, milk also has
the added benefit of being a significant source of calcium.

Suffering from insomnia can change your life in many ways. Without the foundation of a steady and regular pattern of sleep, it's nearly impossible to function to the best of your ability. That's why it's so important to find a way to get a good night's sleep each night... your health depends on it.

Here's to a great night's sleep...

P.S. You can still grab your copy of "Natural Sleep Made Simple" at the low introductory price... it's a great guide that covers multiple ways to get a good night's sleep each and every night without using drugs or sleeping pills. It's a must-read for anyone who suffers from insomnia but wants to overcome it in the healthiest way possible.

You can download your copy here:

Natural Sleep Made Simple