Sleep Your Way to Beautiful

We have all heard the saying, often in jest, “I need my beauty sleep”. However, recent data actually supports the concept that sleep is important for health and be beautiful. One study, published in the British Medical Journal by authors from the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine in Stockholm Sweden, found that when people were deprived of sleep for long periods, they looked more unhealthy and overall less attracted as compared to their more rested selves. The theory is that sleep is a time for increased growth hormone, a time for the body to rebuild and replenish itself. During this time, collagen is stimulated, helping maintain skin and soft tissue integrity. The main reason patients with less sleep don’t look as attractive is that cortisol, the hormone of stress, is released in sleep deprived individuals. Cortisol can lead to increased fat, fatigue, as well as impair social and emotional functioning. All the more reason to catch a few extra zz’s tonight!