5 signs you need to get more sleep
They don’t call it beauty sleep for no good reason – a good night’s slumber results in increased energy and productivity, improved heart and immune system health, a better mood, even a longer life.
As your body naturally regenerates itself at night, if you’re not getting enough sleep – or enough adequate quality sleep – you will likely see (and feel) the clues.
If you experience more of the following indicators of a lack of sleep than you’d like to admit, chances are you’re not getting enough shuteye.
Dullness
Lack of sleep reduces your skin’s natural moisture barrier, leaving your skin dry and flaky.
Fine lines
When you sleep, your body releases melatonin, a natural antioxidant. Get too little shuteye and there aren’t enough antioxidants to help fight off wrinkle-causing free radicals.
Breakouts
Stress hormones, like cortisol, skyrocket when you’re tired. They increase inflammation, provoking pimples to appear.
Puffy eyes
Cortisol is a pesky little bugger – as cortisol levels increase, not only are your hormones affected but your body also retains water. Since your eyelid skin is the thinnest on your body, it’s most obvious there.
Weight gain
Sleep deprivation causes your body to release too much ghrelin, a hormone that makes you hungry and simultaneously causes it not to create enough leptin, a hormone that tells us we're full.
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