It doesn’t matter whether you have a complex beauty routine before lights out or simply hit the sack without thinking twice, there are a few things that could wreak havoc on your appearance. We give you some surprising night time habits that could be ruining your skin and your hair. You won’t believe all the damage you could be doing while you snooze!
1. Sleeping On Your Hair
You really should take more care of your hair when you sleep. Sleeping with your hair open can lead to breakage and weaken the hair follicles thanks to all the friction while you toss and turn. One thing you can do is to switch to a silk pillowcase to save your mane from all that wear and tear. Another smart thing to do is to tie loose plaits to save your hair from crushing against a rough pillow case.
2. Downing Cocktails Before Bedtime
Alcohol before bedtime results in disturbed sleep, which interferes with your skin’s process of repairing and rejuvenating at night. Puffy skin that is more prone to wrinkles is a direct result of this. Of course, we’re not saying to give up your favourite drink all together, but do keep it to a minimum.
3. Sleeping On Your Front
All you stomach-sleepers, we’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is probably the worst possible position to sleep in. With your face being pressed against your pillow every night for years and years, it’s only natural for wrinkles to appear sooner rather than later. Especially in areas around the lips, chin and eyes. Switch to another position before those nightmares turn into a harsh reality.
4. Saggy Boobs Alert!
Yes, sleeping on your stomach isn’t just ruining your skin but also your breasts. Compressing your boobs by sleeping on your stomach night after night will not only make them more prone to sagginess but can also lead to wrinkles on your chest. The thought of old-lady boobs at 28 is something we never, ever want to have to deal with or even think about. Flip over onto your back or even your side. Just stop squashing your poor boobs all night!
5. Turning Up The AC/ Heater
We love that cozy feeling of being snuggled up when you’re not too hot nor too cold, but cranking up your air conditioner or heater to regulate your temperature preference can seriously damage your skin. You’re bound to wake up to dry, parched skin in the morning. Try and turn down the thermostat, make use of the cut-off option or simply change to a thicker/ lighter blanket according to the season. Remember, dry skin leads to roughness and wrinkles.
6. Late Night Chats On The Phone
We can’t sleep without a goodnight call to the boyfriend or a good old gossip sesh with the bestie before lights-out, but gabbing on your phone before sleeping can have some surprising negative effects on your skin. The screen of your phone is a breeding ground for bacteria; your nightly phone calls can transfer this bacteria onto your freshly washed face, which can lead to breakouts. Keep those bedtime phone calls as short as possible and make use of the speakerphone option on your phone.
7. Not Changing Your Pillowcase Often
Do you know that while you sleep you shed dead skin and also oils from your skin and hair? That should be reason enough to change your pillowcase often, otherwise you’re just going to end up sleeping in that dead skin and oils. Do yourself a favour and minimize the bacteria near your face!
Image: Shutterstock
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