Beauty Sleep- Sleep Myths Busted

Sleep is important to everyone and not getting a good night sleep can cause a host of related problems. The whole beauty sleep cliché is actually a lot more serious and true than most people realize and some of the most beautiful celebrities in the world attribute their good looks to getting enough sleep. Skip the expensive night creams, face masks, facials, and opt for a good night sleep instead. Getting the right amount of sleep is hard but knowing some tips and tricks can make it a whole lot easier. Start by knowing what not to do with these four commonly misunderstood myths about sleep.

Myth 1—5 Hour Thing’

Celebrities and grandmothers often brag that they only need a few hours of sleep per night in order to live their best lives. In a busy world, it can seem like those who need less sleep have a more competitive edge. Television makes this myth seem more realistic with depictions of cops and lawyers at the office late into the night with a box of Chinese takeout. This myth is damaging and if you need more than five hours of sleep you are not lazy, but completely normal. The truth is that sleep is important and not getting enough per night can cause some serious health issues. Don’t worry if you spent years thinking you were wired differently, this sleep myth was supported by research that said that five hours or less of sleep was healthy for adults. This myth was damaging for many years and now doctors are saying that seven to eight hours per night are more likely what you need to wake up refreshed and stay healthy. So…what are you waiting for, get back to bed!

Myth 2—Try Try Again Thing’

If you can’t fall asleep—staying in bed tossing and turning won’t help. If you are finding yourself sleepless minutes after you crawled into bed putting some space between you and your sheets might be the best thing to do. The National Sleep Foundation advises that getting out of bed to do a relaxing activity like reading, listening to music, or meditating is the best way to get yourself in the mood before returning under the covers. Laying down with the intention of sleep and scrolling Instagram or counting fictional sheep can create sleep anxiety or worse a mental association that our bed is synonymous with insomnia. If it’s not working then don’t try, try again…try something different.

Myth 3—Whole Catch-Up Thing’

The idea that one or two late nights won’t hurt and you can catch up on sleep later doesn’t ring true. The idea that taking a long weekend siesta will allow you to play sleep catch-up is an old wives tale and a recent Harvard Medical School study found that it is nearly impossible to catch up on sleep. The worse news is that changing your sleep schedule by even an hour can alter your internal clock causing you to be sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation is linked to a whole host of problems like obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Finding a nightly routine that works for you will help you sleep better and allow you to avoid the whole catch-up thing in the first place.

Myth 4—TV in Bed Thing’

Having a television in the bedroom doesn’t just kill the mood with your partner, but it can also kill your sleep. People often wind down from a busy or stressful day in front of the TV, but watching television before bed shouldn’t become a routine. The bottom line is that any decent show, movie, or piece of news should be engaging and make you think, laugh, cry, or cower in terror. Watching television before bed often has the opposite effect than intended and causes anxiety and insomnia because your brain has been made more active. The other issue with TV or any screens (yes… including iPads and smartphones) before bed is that they produce blue light, which delays the natural production of melatonin in the body. The sleep hormone is designed to help us fall asleep and wake up rested, yet the artificial light disturbs that natural process. Finding ways to unwind without light is the best way to ensure a good night sleep and to make the hours count.

Amy N. Pugsley