How Sleep Affects the Skin

We’ve all heard about getting your beauty sleep, but does sleep really have any impact on skin health? 

Usually getting a good night’s sleep is associated with you feeling more awake, more motivated for the day, and goes hand in hand with your health and wellbeing.

It also plays a role in your skin's appearance, not getting a good night’s sleep can impact skin and can lead to dark circles under the eyes worsening, as well as dull-looking skin.

Sleep and hormones

During sleep, cortisol the stress hormone decreases, and our sleep hormone, melatonin levels increases. This hormonal change allows our skin (and our body) to recover and repair from daily damages. If we’re not getting enough sleep, or not getting quality sleep, your skin doesn't have the chance to heal and rejuvenate.

Lack of sleep is also interpreted by our body as stress, and can:

• Increase breakouts
• Increase water loss from our skin
• Reduce the skin's barrier function
• Reduce and slow skin cell turnover

The overall effect of a lack of sleep can make our eyes look puffy, dark circles, increase in visible lines and wrinkles, and make our skin look dull. Read more about the impact that stress and cortisol have on the skin here. 

Sleep (and stress) also affects your gut health. Research highlights a connection known as the gut-skin axis, where a balanced gut microbiome can influence inflammation and overall skin health. While sleep helps your skin repair externally, maintaining gut health supports your skin from the inside too. You can read more about this connection in our Gut-Skin Axis blog.

Sleep and the deeper skin layers

The deeper layers of our skin work at night to repair any damage caused by environmental stressors that our skin has encountered. When we sleep this is when our skin works on building new collagen.

Collagen is involved in helping to keep our skin smooth and firm. As we age, collagen production naturally decreases, but things like poor sleep can further reduce production, and increase formation of wrinkles.

Lack of sleep also decreases skin elasticity and plumpness of the skin. Not getting enough sleep is one of the factors that increase the acceleration of skin ageing.

Sleep is the time where our body recovers from the daily toll of environmental stressors, and by not getting enough sleep we prevent our body from being able to repair and regenerate cells which may have been damaged by UV rays or other pollutants, as well as any other blemishes.

How many hours of sleep do you need?

The rough recommendation is around 7-9 hours of sleep for adults. A simple indicator is if you wake up still feeling sleepy and tired, it probably means that you haven’t got enough sleep. 

Skincare Routine Before Bed

A consistent evening skincare routine is just as important as sleep itself. Cleansing away makeup, dirt and pollutants prevents clogged pores and supports your skin’s natural repair process overnight.

Moisturising before bed is essential, as skin loses more water at night than during the day. For dry or mature skin, a nourishing moisturiser can help maintain hydration and support skin renewal.

Incorporating products that promote cell turnover, such as AHAs, PHAs (like our Exfoliating Tonic), and retinol or retinol alternatives (like our Bio-Retinol Night Cream and Retinol Alternative Eye Cream) can further enhance your skin’s nighttime repair.

For a detailed look at our full evening skincare routine and favourite products, check out our Skincare Routine Before Bed blog.

The Importance of a Wind-Down: Magnesium Flakes & Epsom Salts

Creating a calming bedtime ritual can improve sleep quality and support your body’s natural recovery processes. A warm bath or foot soak with magnesium flakes or Epsom salts is the perfect way to unwind.

Magnesium has a gentle, supportive role in relaxation and can help muscles and the nervous system wind down after a long day. Many people find that a relaxing soak helps them feel calmer and ready for sleep. Pair this with a few minutes of deep breathing or light reading to create a sleep-friendly evening routine. Find out more about Why We Need The Mineral Magnesium, and why Magnesium is Essential For Wellness.

Tips for Better Sleep

If you struggle with sleep, there are several strategies that can help:

• Manage stress with mindfulness or journaling
• Limit caffeine and alcohol, especially in the evening
• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
• Incorporate regular exercise into your day
• Avoid bright screens for at least an hour before bed

 

 

About Lucy Bee

Lucy Bee is a lifestyle brand selling food, skincare and soap products all completely free from palm oil and with minimal use of plastic. Lucy Bee is concerned with Fair Trade, organic, ethical and sustainable living, recycling and empowering people to make informed choices and select quality, natural products for their food and their skin.

Any information provided by us is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. We always recommend referring your health queries to a qualified medical practitioner.