Changing into cozy pajamas and running a toothbrush over your teeth are probably key components in your regular nighttime routine. However, many people don’t realize how important it is to address their skin’s needs before heading to bed. Santo Criscuolo is the owner of Ambrosia Medspa, a Seattle-area facility offering an array of products and services designed to improve and enhance the look and feel of your skin. According to Criscuolo, you can take several steps at bedtime to help preserve the health of your skin
Wash your face
Before you plop your head down on your pillow, it’s important to take a few minutes to wash away any bacteria left over from the day. By going to sleep with an unclean face, you can end up transferring dirt and bacteria onto your pillowcase, thereby keeping it locked onto your face overnight. If your daily routine involves showering in the morning, then it’s especially important to wash your face using a high-quality, non-foaming soap or cleanser before heading to bed.
Moisturize
Dry overnight air can really drain your skin of some of those much-needed oils. So before you go to bed, make sure to apply some moisturizing lotion to your face and body. Areas that tend to be exposed overnight such as the hands and face can easily dry out, especially if your thermostat is set to lower the heat during those overnight hours. By treating your skin before going to bed, you’ll get to wake up without those pesky dry patches and cracks. Many cheaper, over-the-counter moisturizers contain petroleum, talc, or wax, which can congest and clogs pores, causing breakouts, dry skin, or a combination of both. However, these ingredients usually aren’t labeled as such. Instead, they are given names that most people (and drugstore clerks) won’t recognize. Therefore, your best bet is to buy your moisturizer from a skin-care professional who understands what its ingredients mean and can educate you on the best way to use it. It is also important to find a moisturizer with a high percentage of active ingredients, as these work to help the skin by healing and stimulating it. Most over-the-counter products have a low percentage of active ingredients, whereas medical-grade products from medical spas contain a higher percentage overall.
Don’t sleep on your side
If you’re able to be comfortable doing so, then it’s a good idea to sleep on your back with your head titled at an angle. When most people sleep on their sides, they end up scrunching their facial skin against their pillows, which, over time, can cause wrinkles and create puffy skin. When we’re young, our skin is elastic enough to bounce back quickly from overnight creases. But as we get older, our skin unfortunately can’t snap back as easily. It is therefore a good idea to sleep in a position that doesn’t cause any unnecessary scrunching. For those who are only comfortable sleeping on their sides, this is easier said than done. However, certain specialty pillows might make the act of sleeping on your back a lot more comfortable. For your skin’s sake, it’s certainly worth a try.
Change those pillowcases
As part of your preparation for going to sleep, aim to wash or change your pillowcases on as frequent a basis as possible. Even if you take care to wash your face before heading to bed, there are other ways to shift dirt onto your pillowcases. Hair products, for example, might be good for your hair, but they are certainly not good for your skin. And these hair products can be easily transferred onto your pillowcases, which your skin is then pressed up against during those overnight hours. While you can’t be expected to throw on new pillowcases each night, it’s important to wash and change them as often as possible to avoid contamination.
A good night’s sleep can work wonders for your mind and body, so why not make sure that it also works to properly serve your skin? By committing to a skin-friendly bedtime routine, you can do your part to ensure that you’ll get to wake up every morning to fresh, healthy skin.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
