When celebrities and models are asked what the secret to great skin is, one piece of advice always seems to come up: Sleep at least eight hours a day.
You’d think that the sheer number of beauties vouching for the skin benefits of a good night’s sleep would have us tucking ourselves in at 7pm, but this seems to be one piece of valid advice that is much easier said than done.
The connection between skin and sleep seems straightforward enough: Get more sleep = have better skin. But science shows that the relationship is much more complicated than that.
To be able to make the most of this beauty advice, we need to understand how sleep relates to our skin and, more importantly to acne.
The complicated relationship between acne, stress and sleep
Let’s start with what we know based on our personal experiences as people who struggle with acne: We stress about the way we look. The worry is ever-present because our skin condition is difficult to hide. We know that we lose sleep over the issues we stress about. And because we lose sleep, we tend to have less energy to do what we need to do, which may cause problems that stress us more. And stress may cause changes in our bodies and behaviour that cause acne. And the cycle continues.
Although at the time of writing no study has documented the full relationship between acne, stress and sleep, the bits and pieces of it have their basis in scientific fact.
For one, we know that higher levels of stress are associated with decreased sleep quality. We know that acne sufferers tend to report higher levels of anxiety and stress than their clear-skinned friends. We also know that they report a feeling of fatigue even when they wake up. This may mean that people who struggle with pimples get poor sleep, both in terms of quality and quantity.
We know that the immune system is affected when we don’t sleep well. And since acne is an inflammatory condition, it’s possible that not getting enough snooze time can contribute to flare-ups.
We know that sleep deprivation has a significant effect on skin integrity, elasticity and blood flow. Acne is a disorder of the skin, and changes to its condition due to less snoozing may set the stage for pimples to pop up.
When we connect the dots, it appears that acne, stress, and sleep are influenced by one another. If only it were as easy as “get 8 hours of sleep = get clear skin”.
This tells us that the battle against acne is not fought on a single front. You need to manage the physical causes of acne, while managing stress levels, while respecting your sleep, well--among other things like keeping up with your treatment regime, because as we know, acne is a multifactorial problem.
While it sounds like a lot, the good thing is that they’re all connected. The tips below are mostly to help get you more sleep, but we’ve also integrated some tips to minimise stress and target physical causes of acne.
Sleep hygiene tips to help minimise acne and stress
There are a lot of reasons why you may not be sleeping well at night. Whether it’s because you’re staying up to finish homework or to finish a video game, whether it’s because you’re tossing and turning with worry for an exam, or excited about an out-of-town trip, the similarity among them all is that your brain is way too active and stimulated to sleep.
So the question is, how do you get your brain to go into sleep mode?
Set a designated bed-time and wake-time
Going to and getting out of bed at the same time everyday is the best way to train your brain to go into sleep mode. It takes time and effort, but the more you do it, the easier it will be.
Set this time according to your daily schedule. Target to be in bed at least 8 hours before the time you need to wake up on most days.
Weekends are usually for staying up late and sleeping in, but if you want to normalise your sleeping schedule, you may consider minimising this. If you can’t help but stay up late on that weekend occasion, consider waking up at about the same time as a weekday. You may consider taking a quick nap during the day or have that one extra coffee to get you through the day. Just make sure you don’t have your coffee too late in the day and that you wake up from that power nap before 3pm so you’re still sleepy by the time your bedtime hits.
Use the bed only when you’re sleepy
Training your brain to associate your bed with sleep is the principle behind a lot of the tips we’ll outline here.
One way to do that is to reserve your bed for sleep only. This means that you shouldn’t be studying, scrolling on your phone, reading, or working on the laptop on your bed. You have to resist the urge to luxuriate in your warm, comfy bed, and do non-sleeping activities in another place.
This also goes for times when you just can’t get to sleep. If you’ve been staring at the ceiling for 20 minutes and can’t sleep, get up and stare at the ceiling somewhere else. You can do breathing exercises, stretching exercises, or anything non-stimulating and relaxing. Just make sure to keep the lights dim or turned off to avoid turning your brain on.
No gadgets allowed
The bright screens of your phone, laptop or TV signal your brain to stay awake. The thought-stimulating content keeps your brain stimulated. So turn that device and your lights off to get you in the mood for snooze time. And if you’re going to use an app to play calming sounds, dim your screen or turn it over so the visual stimulation is gone.
Once you make an effort on all fronts, it’s likely that the effect is cumulative. And while solving acne is the goal, improving sleep patterns and minimising stress has the added bonus of improving your mental health and overall happiness too!
Create a sleep ritual
While there will be some days when you’re just so tired you’ll plop into bed and start snoozing ASAP, most days you’ll have to set the stage for your body to go to sleep. Enter 'the sleep ritual'.
This is basically a set of activities you do at least 15-20 minutes before your designated bedtime.
If you struggle with acne, it’s in your best interest to integrate your nightly skin care regimen into your sleep ritual. Being consistent with the ritual of removing your makeup, cleansing your face, and gently massaging in your night creams helps both your skin and your sleep patterns improve.
Keep your bed clean and comfortable
A deliciously soft and clean bed can easily get you in the mood to snooze. But if you suffer from acne, there’s more to it than that. Pillows, pillow covers, blankets and bed sheets with a rough texture and the accumulation of dirt and oils may contribute to acne. After all, you bury your face in for eight or so hours everyday. It makes sense that this may be playing a role in exacerbating your breakouts but scientific studies is yet to catch up on this one.
Conclusion
Acne can be caused and exacerbated by a number of factors. A concerted effort to mitigate one possible trigger may not be effective unless accompanied by interventions for other factors.
So while enough sleep and stress reduction alone will probably not clear out your zits completely, it is likely to benefit you one way or another. When you combine this with proven dermatologic solutions and ways to manage your stress and generally live better, you can expect an improvement on not just one aspect of your life, but in most.
This content is for general information only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
Resources:
Kim, Min & Kim, Eun Joo & Kang, Byung & Lee, Hae. (2017). The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Biophysical Properties of Facial Skin. Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications. 07. 34-47. 10.4236/jcdsa.2017.71004.
Besedovsky, L., Lange, T., & Born, J. (2012). Sleep and immune function. Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology, 463(1), 121–137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-011-1044-0
Kim, E. J., & Dimsdale, J. E. (2007). The effect of psychosocial stress on sleep: a review of polysomnographic evidence. Behavioral sleep medicine, 5(4), 256–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402000701557383
Misery, L., Wolkenstein, P., Amici, J. M., Maghia, R., Brenaut, E., Cazeau, C., Voisard, J. J., & Taïeb, C. (2015). Consequences of acne on stress, fatigue, sleep disorders and sexual activity: a population-based study. Acta dermato-venereologica, 95(4), 485–488. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-1998
The information presented in this article is for general information and example purposes only, does not contain health advice specific for users and must not be relied on for that purpose. Please see your GP, dermatologist or other health care professional for specific advice.
