Whoever said, “You need your beauty sleep,” was right. And Estée Lauder can prove it after teaming up with University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center for a study on the connection between sleep and skin aging. What the researchers discovered was that sleep quality does in fact impact skin function and aging—proof that it’s called “beauty sleep” for a reason.
With the knowledge that sleep is essential for growth and renewal within the body, the researchers set out to determine if sleep quality impacted skin function and appearance. And in their study of 60 pre-menopausal women, the researchers found significant differences between what they call “good and poor quality sleepers”.
“Our study is the first to conclusively demonstrate that inadequate sleep is correlated with reduced skin health and accelerates skin aging. Sleep deprived women show signs of premature skin aging and a decrease in their skin’s ability to recover after sun exposure,” says Dr. Elma Baron, director of the Skin Study Center at UH Case Medical Center. “Insufficient sleep has become a worldwide epidemic. While chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to medical problems such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and immune deficiency, its effects on skin function have previously been unknown.”
Poor quality sleepers showed increased signs of intrinsic skin aging including fine lines, uneven skin tone and reduced elasticity. Sleep quality had no effect on signs of extrinsic aging like coarse wrinkles and sunburn freckles, which makes sense since these are usually caused by sun exposure.
Additionally, the women that slept better recovered better from skin stressors. Recovery from sunburn was slower in poor quality sleepers, with erythema (redness) remaining higher over 72 hours, showing that inflammation is more problematic with less sleep. The researchers also tested to the skin’s ability to retain moisture. Good sleepers were 30 percent more successful, signifying that they repair the damage more quickly. Overall, good sleepers were more satisfied with their skin’s appearance.
“This research shows for the first time, that poor sleep quality can accelerate signs of skin aging and weaken the skin’s ability to repair itself at night,” says Dr. Daniel Yarosh, senior vice president, basic science research, R&D, at The Estée Lauder Companies. “These connections between sleep and skin aging, now supported with solid scientific data, will have a profound effect on how we study skin and its functions. We see these findings as yet another way we can direct our scientific research toward the real needs of our customers who want to look and feel their best.” Estée Lauder’s newest launch, Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II ($62) was designed to help skin maximize its natural nightly renewal. With a better understanding of how skin repairs itself at night, this serum, in combination with your beauty rest, supports the natural nighttime purification process necessary for younger-looking skin.
