Beauty sleep

Donald Trump is said to only need three, Margaret Thatcher was reputedly satisfied with four, while Barack Obama is believed to allow himself a maximum of six. We’re talking about hours of sleep every night, and a recent study reveals that more of us are following suit with less time spent under the duvet.

London-based organisation The Sleep School, in partnership with the company Bensons For Beds, conducted a survey on the sleep patterns of 11,000 people, and found almost half were getting only six hours or less sleep per night. And while lack of sleep has been proven to have a very real effect on concentration, memory and patience, the study also revealed a dramatic deterioration to the appearance and health of our skin.

‘There’s a reason they call it beauty sleep,’ says sleep physiologist Dr Guy Meadows, founder of The Sleep School, which has branches in the UK and US. ‘Sleep is a time for the body to heal, renew and eliminate toxins from the skin. When it is reduced, so is the body’s ability to carry out these functions.

‘The study showed significant results over a period of just five days, yet the reality is many people are sleeping in this manner for weeks, months and even years, leading to long-term consequences for their looks and how they feel about themselves.’

Results of the study showed that as little as five consecutive nights of six hours’ sleep a night or less increased fine lines by 45 per cent, spots by 13 per cent, and red areas by 68 per cent. Dr Harold Lancer, a Los Angeles-based dermatologist and skincare guru to Kim Kardashian, agrees with the findings. ‘Of course, everyone looks better after a good night’s sleep, but this observation is backed by science,’ he says. ‘As the body settles into the deepest stage of rest, growth hormones peak and stimulate cell and tissue repair. Without enough deep sleep, the repair process of your skin will be slowed, resulting in ageing.’

The longer we go without enough sleep, the worse our skin will become. ‘It is the physical equivalent of driving your car over a pothole, day after day,’ says Dr Irshaad Ebrahim of The London Sleep Centre on Harley Street. ‘Your car gets more and more damaged the longer you do it, just as your body becomes more and more damaged the longer you deprive it of sleep.’

So how does lack of sleep manifest itself in the condition of our skin? British journalist Sarah Chalmers took part in the study and reported: ‘After just 30 hours’ sleep in the past 120, I look much older than my 46 years. My eyes have dark rings underneath and my skin is lacklustre, with pores so enlarged I can see them from a distance. To top it all off, a couple of spots are beginning to develop on my chin. I had no idea that cutting back on sleep by just an hour or two a night could have such a devastating effect.’

A nocturnal beauty routine is also very helpful, with many products available to help us drift off to the land of nod. When we arrive there, others promise to repair, nourish and hydrate skin while we are sleeping. We all need a little help now and again, after all…

Getting to sleep

Going to bed early in pursuit of perfect skin is one thing, but getting to sleep the second our head touches the pillow is quite another. So what can we use if we need a little help to drop off each night?

So what is the perfect pre-bedtime plan? Start winding down in a warm bath with Lush – A French Kiss (Dh50), a bar that crumbles under the tap to create mountains of bubbles infused with the scent of lavender. While under the water, wash with the L’Occitane Lavender Shower Gel (Dh95), which is enriched with lavender oil from Provence, France. Once out of the bath, apply the NIP+FAB Yoga Blend Body Lotion (Dh79, www.basharacare.com), which contains a blend of lavender, rose and coconut to destress the body and mind.

Fragrance candles help not only to create a peaceful ambience at home, but also unwind. Aromatherapy Associates’ Relax Candle (Dh296, www.basharacare.com) will transform your home into a spa-like haven of tranquillity, with calming notes of West Indian bay and myrrh oil filling the room.

If you are still counting sheep, grab a pillow spray and infuse your bed linen with relaxing, sleep-inducing fragrance. The Rêve Calme Pillow Mist (Dh55, www.revecalme.us) fulfils this purpose and is used by several large hotel chains in the region to help improve the sleep quality of their guests. Containing a calming blend of seven relaxing oils, spritz it over your bed linen, climb under the sheets and sink your head into the pillow for some shut-eye.

Nocturnal skincare

Once we’ve cracked the sleep thing, we can expect perfect skin, right? Well, not necessarily, but it will make a big difference – and a nightly skincare regimen is the extra boost we need.

Ingrid Wood, skin specialist and author of the book Good Skin, swears by the power of beauty products when we are sleeping, which can have far greater effect than those used during the day. ‘According to our body clocks, different body cells are more active at different times of the day,’ she explains. ‘Skin cells do their repair work most effectively at night. In fact, research shows that skin cell regeneration almost doubles at night, peaking between 11pm and 4am. Production of collagen is boosted, harmful free radicals are destroyed and cell damage is rectified.’

Rebecca Treston, founder and manager of Euromed Clinic in Dubai, adds: ‘We need a good night’s sleep to aid cellular repair, but we should also prioritise cleansing routines in the evening. I recommend a double cleanse, followed by a masque to purify and hydrate the skin.’

But the best advice? ‘Get enough sleep!’ says Dr Julia Tzu of Wall Street Dermatology in New York.

‘If the body doesn’t rest, the evening skincare products can only go so far.’