Have you ever noticed that in the morning your skin looks its best, or a little oily in the afternoon and by the evening those fine lines and wrinkles look deeper?
It’s not your imagination, it’s your circadian rhythm.
What is Circadian Rhythm?
Circadian rhythms are distinct periods of biological activity that occur when we are awake and when we are asleep, controlled by the way the body’s biological clock responds to light and dark. Each and every cell in our body has a circadian rhythm.
What this means for your skin is that at different times of the day, different processes are occurring. When our clock is disrupted, it’s our skin that reflects this imbalance first. During the day your skin cells switch on to protect themselves against environmental stresses, such as pollution, heating, air conditioning and exposure to UV light, all of which contribute to ageing. This peaks between midday and 3 pm.
At night while you are sleeping, skin cells go into restore mode, the cells are in regeneration mode which means repairing day time damage, growing new cells and bringing fresh blood to the surface for cycling oxygen and nutrients leading to a boost in hydration. Cell regeneration increases double the rate while our collagen production rises. Your skin reaches its peak reparative state between 10 pm and midnight. So, if you are not getting the sleep you need when you need it, your skin will suffer.
Studies have shown that lack of sleep, which is either the result of a disrupted circadian rhythm, or a cause of it, results in increased fine lines and wrinkles. In saying that, don’t stress if you have had a few sleepless nights, it’s when it becomes chronic that these side effects occur. It is recommend to receive at least 7-9 hrs sleep a night for your body to function at its best. Anything less, your body will not naturally be able to go through the repairing process and rejuvenate. According to studies, you can not compensate for lost sleep!!
You can also give your skin a helping hand with products that help your skins circadian rhythm function in a healthy way.
At night my go to night moisturisers are:
Dermalogica's Sound sleep cocoon. It boosts radiance by replenishing the hydration skin loses throughout the day and delivers active ingredients at night, when skin is at its most receptive and encourages restful sleep with essential oils. Smooth over face and neck as the last step of your night time regimen, over toners and targeted treatments. You may also layer Sound Sleep Cocoon over your preferred moisturiser to further enhance overnight hydration.
