Are you getting your beauty sleep?
If you’re having trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. When stress is high and life is unpredictable, it can be hard to settle down for a good night’s sleep. We’re not sleep experts, but working in the aesthetic world, our team has the privilege of working with many different kinds of people. We see how a lack of sleep affects your well being and your appearance. That’s why we’re sharing some tips that help us settle in for a good night’s sleep after a long day –– in the hope that they might help you too.
Tips for a good night’s sleep
Build a sleeptime ritual.
Establishing a regular routine or set of bedtime habits can let your body know that it’s time to sleep. Surprises are fun, but sleep honours a predictable routine. Try to do the same thing every evening before you go to bed and you’ll be giving your body and your nervous system a heads-up that it’s almost bedtime. This can include simple things like brushing your teeth, making tea, reading a book of poems, or doing a skincare routine with great skincare. A sleeptime ritual can also include listening to music or a meditation podcast, doing a set of simple stretches, or focusing on your breathing to calm your heart rate.
Even though you want to avoid consuming food or drinks right before bed, a little cup of chamomile or sleepytime tea can also be a nice way to wind down.
Schedule your screen time intentionally
The harsh light emanating from our computers, televisions, or phone screens can have a serious impact on our ability to go to sleep. Think about how humans were conditioned to sleep hundreds of years ago; the sun rising or setting traditionally gave our body a cue to settle down or spring into action. Think of your modern routine in a similar way, and try using candles or soft light closer to bedtime, turning off screens at least 30 minutes before you’re heading to bed. Try reading a book before bed, writing down thoughts in a notebook, or dimming your kindle screen to give your body the signal that it’s almost time for lights out.
Create a calming atmosphere for all of your senses
The way you feel in your bedroom can impact how you feel when you’re heading to bed. Think about all of your senses and how they’re impacted when you’re trying to sleep:
Sound: Do you wake up easily when you hear sounds in the dark? Consider falling asleep to a white noise machine, or set your phone to play calming forest sounds to muffle other noises that might make it hard to drift off.
Touch: Choose bedding that’s comfortable and comforting, like linen or silk that’s gentle on your skin. Consider investing in an enVy™ Pillow to help take pressure off of your neck and back, and benefit from anti-aging technology while you do! Wear pyjamas or clothing that fits loosely and feels lovely, like silk or soft cotton to let your skin breathe and your body relax.
Sight: Soft lighting, green plants, and calming colours can help you feel at peace in your bed.
Avoid eating or drinking right before bed
Everyone loves a late night snack, but in general it’s helpful to stop eating or drinking at least an hour before you go to bed. Otherwise, you’ll likely need to wake up to use the restroom and your digestive system may be all riled up when all you want to do is drift off and dream about your next neuromodulator session with your favourite Beauty Nurse® at TCSC. The best solution? Set an alarm on your phone two hours before your ideal bedtime, and try to eat around the same time every day, leaving a few hours before you go to sleep.
Get moving and you’ll get snoozing
Getting enough exercise during the day can help your body relax when it’s time to sleep. Long walks are also a great way to process the events of the day. If you don’t have time to fit in a full workout every day, try parking a bit farther from work, taking the stairs when you can, or just integrating a few stretches or jumping jacks into your day to get started. A nature hike amidst freshly fallen snow or a new activity like skiing or skating can be a fun way to get rid of pent-up energy before you head inside to snuggle up.
Prioritize your mental health
Many of us have racing minds at night, and even though we are tired, we can’t seem to turn off our brains. Practicing good mental health habits like meditation, long walks where you leave your phone at home, talking about concerns with a friend, or journaling can be good tools to make sure that you have a chance to process things thoroughly.
Involve your partner in good sleep habits
If you’re having trouble sleeping and you sleep next to a partner, it’s likely that your patterns will influence each other. If your partner loves to watch an episode of Seinfeld right before bed, it might be time to move the TV out of the bedroom and try reading or listening to a bedtime podcast or meditation together. Perhaps you can watch a show in the living room instead to keep your sleeping area exclusively for sleep. Similarly, if you’re lying next to someone who snores, it might be time to invest in some heavy-duty earplugs or to chat about solutions together.
How can the enVy™ Pillow help me sleep?
Specialized enVy™ Pillows help prevent the “face smushing” that causes lines and wrinkles when you sleep on your side. This pillow is designed by two registered nurses—so it’s backed by research, and loved by our clients and our staff too. Sleep easy knowing that it’s organic and sustainability designed.
Want to win your own enVy™ pillow?
Follow us on Instagram for a special giveaway from February 14-18th to win the Green with enVy Certified Organic Latex Anti-Aging Pillow ($219 retail value) with copper technology. This pillow can provide therapeutic neck and back support, line and wrinkle prevention, and all the benefits of an organic anti-aging pillow that loves beauty sleep as much as you do.
It might be frustrating when you can’t fall asleep, but sleep experts suggest that the best thing to do is to accept the situation. If you can’t fall asleep, just enjoy lying in your bed. Feel the texture of the sheets, fill your head softly resting on your pillow, and give yourself options like listening to music or walking around the house once before you snuggle back in.
Try cosmetic treatments to wake up your aesthetic
Sleep is important for mental, physical, and emotional health. So it makes sense that a lack of sleep can take a toll on our appearance. Lines and wrinkles form as we age, and collagen and elastin production naturally slows down over time. Getting enough sleep helps give your body a chance to regenerate, heal, and can reduce stress on your system.
Concerned about a tired look?
The delicate skin around our eyes can make us look more tired than we are, and a dull complexion can do a disservice to our natural beauty. Treatments like dermal fillers, neuromodulators, facial treatments, laser treatments, or a great skin care regimen can help refresh the eye, face, and neck area for a more well rested look.
Explore our Before and After section to explore real surgical and non-surgical results from our Kitchener, Waterloo clinic.
Explore products for a productive nighttime skincare regimen
We have some great products in our online store (and in our Waterloo clinic!) that do the work while you’re asleep, so you can wake up looking and feeling refreshed. Let your skincare do the heavy lifting for once, while you catch some well deserved zzzz’s.
