Wednesday, October 28, 2009

8 Hours = Beauty Sleep?


I guess we all know that we are supposed to get that nightly 8 hours of sleep, well...because someone in the know said so, or maybe I read & ignored it somewhere, so many years ago? After all, make up does wonders after an all-nighter, or does it? - Like so many health-related concerns, they seem to make more sense with age, or perhaps I have just become more desperate for that instant healthy glow?
Like the night watchmen and the cleaning crew, some members of your skin team do their best job when the rest of the place is, well, at rest. They need a full 8-hour shift so they can soothe tired eyes, diminish dark under-eye circles and  freshen-up a listless complexion. See for yourself how sleep gives you a running start to the next day. Antioxidants take the night shift (or at least the sleep shift!) and metabolize pesky free-radicals. Not calling them in, increases your risk of developing skin cancer, and losing that bright, fresh looking skin you have after your morning shower.
The protein version of the mail department, Cytokines,carry messages between your cells to stimulate healing and regeneration. Even a brief time off the job (i.e. a lost couple hours of sleep) diminishes your body’s infection fighting response, leaving you with blemishes and dull, unrepaired skin. Sun spots will never be in style.
The stress-hormone, Cortisol, increases when we don`t get enough sleep, which leaves you with saggy, sallow skin. Wouldn’t we all rather age backwards?
Smiling brightens our mood and our reflection in the mirror. Depriving yourself of sleep is like shutting down the good mood department completely. Both Norepinephrine and Serotonin decrease with lack of sleep (which in turn makes it harder to get the next night’s shut-eye. Doh!).
These hormones are critical players in both mood and the ability to experience pleasure.
The term “Beauty Sleep” is no cliche. All the expensive face creams and make-up in the world won’t do the trick if you don’t give your hormone team time to do their job at night. The next time you’re feeling a little drab, skip the cosmetic counter and invest in some pillow time.
For an extra boost, snuggle up with your Natura Dream Aloe Vera Pillow. 


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