Tips about premature skin aging and beauty sleep

Many things cause our skin to age. Some things we cannot do anything about; others we can influence.

One thing that we cannot change is the natural aging process. It plays a key role. With time, we all get visible lines on our face. It is natural for our face to lose some of its youthful fullness. We notice our skin becoming thinner and drier. Our genes largely control when these changes occur. The medical term for this type of aging is “intrinsic aging.”

We can influence another type of aging that affects our skin. Our environment and lifestyle choices can cause our skin to age prematurely. The medical term for this type of aging is “extrinsic aging.” By taking some preventive actions, we can slow the effects that this type of aging has on our skin.

11 ways to reduce premature skin aging

The sun plays a major role in prematurely aging our skin. Other things that we do also can age our skin more quickly than it naturally would. To help their patients prevent premature skin aging, dermatologists offer their patients the following tips.

1. Protect your skin from the sun every day. Whether spending a day at the beach or running errands, sun protection is essential. You can protect your skin by seeking shade, covering up with clothing, and using sunscreen that is broad-spectrum, SPF 30 (or higher), and water-resistant. You should apply sunscreen every day to all skin that is not covered by clothing.

2. Apply self-tanner rather than get a tan. Every time you get a tan, you prematurely age your skin. This holds true if you get a tan from the sun, a tanning bed, or other indoor tanning equipment. All emit harmful UV rays that accelerate how quickly your skin ages.

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3. If you smoke, stop. Smoking greatly speeds up how quickly skin ages. It causes wrinkles and a dull, sallow complexion.

4. Avoid repetitive facial expressions. When you make a facial expression, you contract the underlying muscles. If you repeatedly contract the same muscles for many years, these lines become permanent. Wearing sunglasses can help reduce lines caused by squinting.

5. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Findings from a few studies suggest that eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables may help prevent damage that leads to premature skin aging. Findings from research studies also suggest that a diet containing lots of sugar or other refined carbohydrates can accelerate aging.

6. Drink less alcohol. Alcohol is rough on the skin. It dehydrates the skin, and in time, damages the skin. This can make us look older.

7. Exercise most days of the week. Findings from a few studies suggest that moderate exercise can improve circulation and boost the immune system. This, in turn, may give the skin a more-youthful appearance.

8. Cleanse your skin gently. Scrubbing your skin clean can irritate your skin. Irritating your skin accelerates skin aging. Gentle washing helps to remove pollution, makeup, and other substances without irritating your skin.

9. Wash your face twice a day and after sweating heavily. Perspiration, especially when wearing a hat or helmet, irritates the skin, so you want to wash your skin as soon as possible after sweating.

10. Apply a facial moisturizer every day. Moisturizer traps water in our skin, giving it a more youthful appearance.

11. Stop using skin care products that sting or burn. When your skin burns or stings, it means your skin is irritated. Irritating your skin can make it look older.

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Note: Some anti-aging products prescribed by a dermatologist may burn or sting. When using a prescription anti-aging product, this can be OK. Just be sure to let your dermatologist know.

Never too late to benefit

Even people who already have signs of premature skin aging can benefit from making lifestyle changes. By protecting your skin from the sun, you give it a chance to repair some of the damage. Smokers who stop often notice that their skin looks healthier.

If signs of aging skin bother you, you may want to see a dermatologist. New treatments and less-invasive procedures for smoothing wrinkles, tightening skin, and improving one’s complexion are giving many people younger-looking skin.

A well-rested sleep is essential to waking up energized and alert, but if you get quality zzzs, will you also wake up prettier? There are many benefits that come from getting enough shut eye, and it turns out, there’s a reason some call it beauty sleep: "It's essential for repairing the skin," Debra Jaliman, M.D., a New York City dermatologist and author of Skin Rules.

While some might think it’s just a catchy phrase, beauty sleep is a real thing, confirms Whitney Bowe, M.D., a New York City dermatologist and author of Dirty Looks. “When we sleep, our stress hormone (cortisol) goes down and our sleep hormone (melatonin) goes up. Our body, and our skin, are in repair mode.” In other words, nighttime gives our skin the opportunity to recover from any daytime damage.

If you want your skin and hair to look younger and healthier before you even start your daily beauty routine, here’s everything you need to know about getting a good night's sleep the night before:

What are the benefits of beauty sleep?

Brighter, de-puffed eyes

“Lack of restorative sleep can leave your eyes looking puffy in the morning. Why? Because, when you’re under stress, your cortisol levels rise, and this changes the salt balance in your body. In turn, this can lead you to retain water – hence, puffiness,” says Dr. Bowe. For less puffy eyes, try the above extra-pillow trick to help drain fluids! "When you lie flat, fluid can gather around your eyes," explains Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D., a dermatologist in Washington, D.C.

Youthful, glowing skin

When we sleep, our skin is busy healing itself from damage we might have sustained in the day from UV rays or pollution. “In fact, studies show that new skin cells grow faster while you sleep,” says Dr. Bowe. “Take advantage of this period of skin renewal and restoration by cleansing skin before bed and choosing products that will optimize this recovery period so that you wake up with healthier skin."

Fewer wrinkles and lessened signs of aging

Time might be passing as we’re sound asleep, but our skin’s clock turns backwards during that time. “If nothing else convinces you to go to bed on time, let maintaining youthful-looking skin be the one that does,” urges Dr. Bowe. To make sure you wake up wrinkle-free, both Dr. Bowe and Jesleen Ahluwalia, M.D., suggest you sleep on your back. "Repeated pressure on the skin, causing creasing, can eventually lead to set-in lines," says Dr. Ahluwalia.

 “The deeper layers of your skin are working at night to repair damage from the environmental stressors they encounter all day long. Your skin is also working to build new collagen, which keeps your skin firm and smooth,” explains Dr. Bowe. “This is why you really want to choose your nighttime products strategically to optimize your skin’s recovery during those restful, restorative hours!”

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Healthier, stronger, and longer hair

Beauty sleep actually contributes to beautiful, fuller hair, too “Sleep is actually needed for proper protein synthesis of your hair and it can impact your hormones, which will also have an impact on your hair’s growth and appearance,” says Dr. Bowe.

How many hours are necessary for beauty sleep?

When it comes to snoozing, the magic number falls between seven and eight hours of rest per night, but Dr. Bowe reminds us it’s not only the amount of sleep that matters, but the quality of our rest too. “Not all sleep is equally restorative,” explains Dr. Bowe. REM sleep happens at some point in the middle of the night, so rather than hitting the snooze button on weekends, Dr. Bowe suggests going to bed earlier and waking up at the same time every morning.

What does sleep deprivation do to your face?

“You look tired.” It’s easy for our friends and colleagues to tell when we haven’t gotten our beauty sleep thanks to pesky dark circles and lackluster skin. “Our body perceives loss of sleep, or lack of quality of sleep as stress,” says Dr. Bowe. “Those stress signals not only cause breakouts, but also make skin less capable of trapping moisture and it slows down skin cell turnover.”

What should you apply to your face before sleeping?

Face cleanser

Not taking off your makeup at the end of the day can cause pores to get clogged, which can then lead to breakouts. Dr. Bowe recommends,“a gentle, pH balanced cleanser that will not strip your skin of its healthy oils and that will maintain the slightly acidic environment your skin barrier needs to remain intact and healthy,” like Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser (a Good Housekeeping favorite face cleanser!).

An anti-aging night cream

Never skip your nightly cream or serum. These products work better during the "repair cycle of the skin," which is at night, Dr. Jaliman says. An anti-aging night cream cream or serum with vitamin A or retinol before bed will help counteract fine lines, says David Leffell, M.D., a professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale University School of Medicine.

These ingredients are “often added to topical skincare products to promote skin renewal, brighten skin tone, reduce acne and boost your skin’s collagen production,” explains Dr. Bowe. Alternatively, hyaluronic acid attracts water into the skin, which helps smooth wrinkles, confirms Francesca Fusco, M.D., a New York City-based dermatologist. Don't forget lip balm and lash conditioner, too!