How to minimize appearance of wrinkles while sleeping
How to prevent the appearance of wrinkles while sleeping (photo: freepik.com)
In the morning, you look at yourself in the mirror and realize that you have a bunch of wrinkles on your face - the so-called sleep wrinkles. They are temporary, but as you age, your skin loses its elasticity, and the wrinkles gradually become permanent.
How to sleep properly to avoid wrinkles on your face, according to The Conversation.
How sleep affects the face
Many factors affect the skin on your face: natural aging, exposure to sunlight, smoking, poor hydration, facial expressions, the habit of squinting, stress, lack of sleep, and also the position during sleep.
When you sleep on your side or stomach, your facial skin gets compressed. Gravity presses your face against the pillow when you sleep in these positions. The skin deforms as it stretches and is pushed in all directions, especially when you move during sleep.
However, there are ways to improve the situation and keep your facial skin youthful for much longer - for example, by sleeping on your back or frequently changing your position.
On which side do you sleep
On a young face, sleep wrinkles quickly disappear after waking up. However, with age, temporary wrinkles that recur every night gradually become permanent.
The skin loses its elasticity and resilience, creating ideal conditions for the formation and prolonged appearance of sleep wrinkles.
The time spent in each sleeping position, the magnitude of external forces applied to each area of the face, and the contact area with the pillow surface also affect the nature and speed of wrinkle formation during sleep.
Interestingly, doctors can often tell how a person sleeps just by looking at their wrinkles. The habit of sleeping on one side of the body can eventually make that part of the face flatter. Noticeable sleep lines also appear.
Do night creams help protect
Collagen and elastin are two main components of the dermis (the inner layer) of the skin. They form the skin's structure and maintain its elasticity.
Incorporating products with collagen into your daily facial care routine can reduce wrinkle formation.
Hyaluronic acid also helps. It is a natural molecule found in the human body. It holds the collagen and elastin in our skin in the correct configuration, stimulates collagen production, and provides hydration, significantly slowing down wrinkle formation.
Hyaluronic acid is one of the most common active ingredients in creams, gels, and lotions for skin care.
Moisturizers can act differently on the skin. Occlusive substances form a thin layer of oil on the skin, preventing water loss through evaporation. Humectants attract and hold water in the skin and can vary in their ability to bind water, affecting the degree of skin hydration.
Silk pillowcases really do make a difference
Some studies suggest that using silk pillowcases can affect wrinkle formation during sleep. If the fabric allows the skin to slide and move without creating friction and pressure in one place, then your skin will be better protected from wrinkles at night.
If possible, use silk pillows, pillowcases, and sheets.
Scientists have also found that pillows designed to reduce mechanical stress during sleep can prevent skin deformation. Such a pillow can be useful in slowing down and preventing certain wrinkles on the face.
Doctors and sleep specialists advise using all these rules in combination. In addition to silk pillowcases, you can choose the right pillow, use skin care products at night, and train yourself to sleep on your back.
It is also necessary to change habits and lifestyle: quit smoking, and consume water, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, healthy fats, and yoghurts. Use sunscreen, wear a wide-brimmed hat (panama) in summer, get enough rest and sleep, and reduce stress.
Earlier, we wrote about how to slow down aging through nutrition.
We also talked about a method that will help you look younger without botox injections.
