As your body rests, the skin repairs itself. When you slip into the second phase of your sleep at night—what we call the delta phase—your hormone levels are at their peak, and that’s when cell repair takes place.

So what happens really is that any damage to the collagen and elastin under your skin that might have taken place due to free radicals are repaired as you sleep. Free radicals are one of the biggest culprits in premature ageing.

Want glowing skin? Then hit the bed every night at around the same time, and sleep well. Give your skin cells time to rest, repair, and restore. If it’s only five hours you can manage every night, then it’s better to sleep early and wake up early than to sleep late and wake up later

As your body rests, the skin repairs itself

Deep sleep = Radiant complexion

Lack of sleep constricts the blood vessels on your face. It looks dull, and lacklustre. Sleep actually helps in collagen production. And you need loads of that for skin that is supple and elastic.

Do you feel tautness in your skin when you wake up? That happens when your skin loses hydration at night as you sleep. All that repair work underneath tends to pull out water from the top layer, that is if your air conditioner spares some.

Do this – Drink at least a glass of water before going to bed and apply a hydrating moisturiser to ensure that your skin does not lose hydration from the outside.

Deep sleep + vitamin enriched night cream = Supple, line-free complexion

You can actually help your skin in its repairing efforts by adding some extra dose of vitamins and essential skin actives. When you wake up your skin will thank you for it. I am sure you will also feel very nice about it too.

Deep sleep + anti-wrinkle under eye cream = Smooth toned, clear sparkling eyes

There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to fight puffy eyes and dark circles. I am sure you have noticed that after a good night’s sleep your eyes look bright, and the under eye area looks smooth and toned. We Indian girls tend to suffer from uneven skin tone, especially under the eyes. This is something you can take care of as you sleep. A little care goes a long way.

Do this – Buy a lightening under eye cream—look for ingredients like licorice and vitamin E. Don’t rub, but dab the cream in circular motion around the area. Go to sleep and wake up with prettier eyes. Go low on salt after sunset. You can also put two pillows to prop yourself. Sleep on your back and not on your sides or stomach.

There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to fight puffy eyes and dark circles

Your pre-sleep prepping routine

1. Remove make up, and cleanse your face with a cleanser. Use soft cotton pressed pads to wipe away the dirt
2. Use a face wash to wash off the residue. Exfoliate if you feel the need
3. Go for deep cleansing shower/bath with exfoliating body wash
4. Use a muslin cloth/ towel to dab your face and body. It retains water in the skin without leaving it wet
5. Put on your under eye cream, dab and leave it to soak into the skin
6. Apply an AHA-based hand and body lotion. Slather it on nicely. Massage gently till the lotion soaks in. Apply your foot cream as well
7. Massage a rich night cream all over your face, neck, and décolletage in upward and circular motion
8. Drink a glass of warm water before going to bed.

The Sleep Pattern

First three hours: You get the deepest sleep of the night. Your body produces the most human growth hormones, which are crucial to skin and hair repair.

Middle two hours: Deep sleep shortens and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep begins. Melatonin, a hormone that’s also a skin-protecting antioxidant, increases.

Last three hours: This is when you get the most REM sleep. Your skin’s temperature reaches its lowest point and your muscles relax, giving your skin its deepest recovery.

Sleeping positions: Be mindful of your sleeping positions. Always sleep on your back. Compressing your face against the pillow will cause more creases, alter facial shape, and cause acne.

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Why pollution is such a big deal

Exposure to pollution creates free radicals in the body, which eventually get linked to the healthy cells of our skin and hair causing damage. What’s more, pollution reduces the moisture content of our skin by depleting the protective barrier and makes the skin lose its suppleness and glow, hastening the appearance of wrinkles.

Dust can also oxidise inside your pores, clogging them and leading to pimples. There is also evidence that age spots appear early if you are being exposed to a lot of pesticides and toxins. Industrial level particulate matter can physically damage the skin, manifesting as redness and rash.

The increase in particulate pollution, chemical waste and pesticides has a direct and visible effect on our skin and hair

Increasing levels of air pollution also causes hair loss due to oxidative stress and free radical damage, apart from the loss of sheen. Researchers are increasingly identifying a condition known as ‘sensitive scalp syndrome’, due to increase in chemical as well as particulate pollution, causing oily scalp, dandruff, itching, pricking and pain in the roots of hair. It is common in folks who have migrated recently to an urban polluted city. Phew! So how do we save our skin and hair?

Eight commandments to pollution-proof your skin

Here are eight commandments that you must adhere to in order to keep your skin protected from the harmful effects of pollution.

1. Create a barrier to protect: Physical protection is the easiest and one of the most effective ways of saving your skin and hair from the wrath of pollution, and as a bonus, sun damage. Cover yourself up. Use scarves, gloves, hats or masks every time you go out and will be exposed to pollution. What can’t touch you, won’t harm you.
2. Use antioxidants to fight free radicals: They have to be our hero in the fight against free radicals. What free radicals leech from our skin, antioxidants replenish. Antioxidants can be consumed in the form of supplements and food. You can also apply an antioxidant rich serum at night after washing your face and, if you don’t mind the layering, also under your sunscreen when you step out. Increase your intake of green leafy vegetables, bight coloured foods like tomatoes, peppers, carrots and berries, nuts, and citrus fruits. Omega-3 fatty acids can be consumed in the form of food or pills, as they are anti-inflammatory too and also help in barrier repair.
3. Unload the grime: Cleanse your skin off those nasty dust particles and toxins. Choose a non-soap based cleanser which is not harsh on your skin. If you have oily skin use a salicylic acid based cleanser; if your skin is dry, stick to a creamy cleanser. Make it a habit to wash your face as soon as you get back home. While travelling, keep wet wipes handy to clean your face frequently. Twice a week, exfoliate your skin with a physical or chemical exfoliator. If your skin is sensitive, don’t use a granule based scrub as it may cause micro injuries to the skin. Instead consult your dermatologist for a glycolic or salicylic acid based product to be applied on your skin overnight at least once a week.
4. Hydrate, in and out: Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water. There is no fixed measure of how much is plenty as everyone’s needs vary, but try to keep your daily water intake to not less than two litres. Dehydrated skin is more prone to damage. Apply an antioxidant/retinol containing moisturiser at night.
5. Sunscreen: Sunscreen is a guard not only against sun but also against pollution. It creates a layer on your skin deflecting as well as trapping the nanoparticles of dust and toxins thus preventing them from reaching the skin and causing damage. Be very generous with the quantity of sunscreen you apply and remember to re-apply it every four hours to keep the protection intact. But it’s important to choose a non-greasy sunscreen—you don’t want more dust and grime sticking to your face.
6. Don’t forget to care for your eyes: Wear oversized sunglasses, even on a cloudy day. Dust and pollution, apart from the direct effect it has on the skin, might cause strain in your eyes causing early onset of crow’s feet.
7. Tame your mane: Avoid using harsh sodium lauryl based shampoo everyday, or very frequently. Use an EDTA based shampoo [swimmer’s shampoo] at least once weekly to chelate the harmful chemical toxins deposited on the scalp. Rinse the shampoo properly to avoid any residues. Use a leave-in conditioner or a serum post shampoo, as it creates a barrier around the shaft of your hair and keeps it safe from the effects of pollution.
8. Oil the damage away: Coconut oil is a great tool to protect the hair from damage. According to researchers, oil occupies the internal spaces in the hair and prevents entry of dust, dirt, pollutants and chemicals into the hair shaft, thus preventing hair damage.

A version of this article was first published in the December 2015 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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