(my first-year college research paper)
Compared to being awake, it seems as if sleep leads to the inactivity or slow down of regular body performance. Without a doubt, it is a vital biological function to live and prolong a healthy life. Sleep is merely a state of unconsciousness characterized by unawareness, but the brain and all other body systems work as actively as if one was awake. There are a variety of physiological processes that specifically occur during a restful state. In particular, the skin gets quite a bit of attention when repairing cells and slowing down the aging process throughout the sleep cycles. On the other end, poor quality sleep or sleep deprivation leads to inflammation in the body and speeds up the aging process. By getting enough sleep and prioritizing your circadian rhythm every night can prevent common signs of aging and perceived fatigue. In medicine, it is accepted to call this the phenomenon of beauty sleep.
Why You’re Not Getting A Good Night’s Rest
Quality of sleep can be indicative according to how long one sleeps and when. An article published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information shares the recommended sleep time ranges across different lifespans for Canada and the US. For example, it is recommended for teens 14-17 years old to have between 8 to 10 hours of sleep; for adults 18-64 years old, it is 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and over 65, it is 7-8 hours (Chaput et al., 2018). The reality is, getting enough sleep, let alone quality sleep is a human epidemic in North America. Up to date and age specified “1 in 4 adults aged 18-34, 1 in 3 adults aged 35-64 and 1 in 4 adults aged 65-79 report not getting enough sleep,” while a staggering “1 in 2 adults have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep” (Government of Canada, 2019). America reflects similar stats to find that “1 in 3 working Americans don’t get enough sleep” (Chase, 2019).
As the wise 1640 poet Geroge Herbert puts it, “One houres sleepe before midnight is worth three after,” Naturopathic Doctor Pina Loguidice agrees (2016). Highlighting sleep as a preventative, restorative, and rejuvenating biological activity for aging, daytime activities and environmental exposures put a toll on the body’s innate response to its circadian rhythms. The circadian rhythm is the 24-hour biological clock that responds to the stimuli of light and dark, “temporally optimiz[ing] behaviour and physiology in humans,” which directly impacts our sleep/wake cycles (Potter et al., 2016). As Wolfe (2018) puts it, when there is a disruption in our circadian rhythms, “it happens to be the time when we look our worst."
An article published by Harvard Health indicated that mental stress and lack of exercise (the healthy physical stress) regarded as the top reasons for lack of good-quality sleep or not being able to sleep (2014). An unmonitored diet of caffeine and poor choices of snacks late at night are also contributors. Further explained by Potter et al., stimulation to artificial light late at night, forced sleep restriction (deprivation), a diagnosis of sleep apnea, shift work and lack of daytime light exposure are also factors that lead to sleep disruptions (2016). As understood, there are many contributing factors towards poor sleep, which can also vary among the working-class, different age groups, mental health and particular lifestyles.
Sleep-Deprived, Sleepless and Aging
Since the skin is the largest organ in the body, it is the external organ we can conveniently see and study with our eyes, making it a key health indicator. The skin undergoes specific physiological processes that exclusively happen during a restful state. Regarding the skin, the human growth hormone, HGH, is responsible for repairing damaged cells while also synthesizing collagen (Wolfe, 2018). For the most part, this hormone is released during the deep stages of sleep (Elkhenany et al., 2018), but accumulated stress (inflammation) as we age blocks HGH release and absorption (Wolfe, 2018). Moreover, the skin’s defence barrier is enhanced during sleep, basically essential in healthy immune functioning. It is due to the increased blood flow to the skin (Sundelin et al., 2013).
Understanding this, those sleep-deprived or individuals unable to sleep 7 hours straight due to a sleeping condition like sleep apnea or insomnia are prone to show early signs of aging. These can show up as intrinsic signs of aging: wrinkles, fine lines, reduced elasticity, dark under circles and uneven skin pigmentation (Clatici et al., 2017). When sleep-deprived for 31 hours following 5 hours of sleep, subjects were perceived as sadder and more obvious facial cues were noticed around the eyes, around the corners of the mouth, as well as having paler skin (Sundelin et al., 2013).
Although the biological process of aging is inevitable, it is safe to say slowing down the aging process is possible so we don’t have to “look our age." That said, the medical community praises sleep as one of the main factors of health and perceived beauty (Clatici et al., 2017; Spector, 2018). By working with your doctor or any other health professional to help promote restful sleep each night, the totality of health goes beyond the mentioned skin health benefits. However, the first step may be being proactive and taking the initiative to advocate for your health.
An Introduction to Sleep Hygiene
The thought that sleeping late and waking up late sounds like reasonable compensation, the reality: it is not (LoGiudice, 2016). It goes back to the importance of circadian rhythms. It may be fair to assume that sleep is a luxury in the lives of busy and highly stressed people. For Canadians, “36.3% of adults who get insufficient sleep report having chronic stress” while “12.3% report having poor mental health” (Government of Canada, 2019).
While acute stress takes partial credit for “enhanc[ing] skin immunity and stress adaptation," chronic stress impairs the body’s innate immunoprotective capabilities (Chen & Lyga, 2014). Unregulated inflammation causes skin issues like psoriasis, acne or atopic dermatitis in addition to intrinsic aging like wrinkles and collagen loss (Wesley & Talakoub, 2019). Remember, a healthy skin barrier translates into healthy immune functioning when sleep is achieved.
Beauty sleep is a result of proper sleep hygiene. This idea can be looked at as a bedtime checklist or, considering how necessary it is for optimal health, a ritualized routine. Acknowledging the factors that cause one to experience insufficient sleep or fragmented sleep is the groundwork. Mental stress is a type of stressor, but so are light stimulation and noise, while stimulants like coffee and alcohol are catalysts for stress.
Sleep hygiene looks like not using blue-spectrum light, for example, phones and tv, “ideally two to three hours before sleep because the blue light interferes with the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin” (Wolfe, 2018). If it is still becoming a habit of using your phone before bed, the app Twilight applies a red filter on your screen or even purchasing blue-light blocking glasses (if possible, the red-tinted ones). Consider removing screens from the bedroom (Chaput et al., 2018), or if the phone is on the bedside table throughout the night, it would be a smart idea to power it off or at least on airplane mode “to mitigate disruptive radiation waves” (Wolfe, 2018). If tea is appreciated, opt for caffeine-free herbal ones like lavender, chamomile, or the brand Sleepytime by Celestial Seasonings. For coffee drinkers, no later than 3:00 pm to have your last cup because caffeine has a lasting effect for up to six hours, “leading to an hour or more lost in rest” (Ward, 2016). Alternatively, good habits to adopt are reading non-thrilling or exciting literature, calming music while stretching, meditating and even applying skincare. While some find exercise closer to bed relaxing, focusing on it earlier in the day may be more therapeutic “as a nonpharmacologic treatment for sleep disturbances” (Kline, 2014).
Essentially...
Sleep is a personal experience. There should be an agreement that sleep should be “individualized to the reality of each person” (Chaput et al., 2018). Indeed, consistency can be a strong word to commit to. But, an effort to sleep before midnight whenever possible can uphold the workings of beauty sleep.
As examined, the prevalence of sleep disturbances or lack of sleep exists across the adult demographic. The anti-aging rewards of good quality sleep occur by understanding the importance of stabilizing circadian rhythms. Sleep disturbances arise when circadian rhythms are perhaps unnecessarily triggered by environmental stimulation, unmanaged stress, and even to the extent of poor dietary choices. Recognizing sleeping issues and taking action to work on them can reflect a healthy skin complexion and slow down the aging process, rendering the term beauty sleep. When the focus on beauty and anti-aging praise skincare and dermatological treatments, the same, if not more, attention might actually be sleep.
References
Canada, P. H. A. of. (2019, September 6). Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-adults-getting-enough-sleep-infographic.html.
Chaput, J.-P., Dutil, C., & Sampasa-Kanyinga, H. (2018, November 27). Sleeping hours: what is the ideal number and how does age impact this? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267703/.
Chase, M. (2019, Oct 04). New study finds 1 in 3 working americans don't get enough sleep. University Wire Retrieved from http://ezproxy.humber.ca/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.humber.ca/wire-feeds/new-study-finds-1-3-working-americans-dont-get/docview/2300645931/se-2?accountid=11530
Chen, Y., & Lyga, J. (2014, June). Brain-skin connection: stress, inflammation and skin aging. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4082169/.
Clatici, V. G., Racoceanu, D., Dalle, C., Voicu, C., Tomas-Aragones, L., Marron, S. E., … Fica, S. (2017, September 12). Perceived Age and Life Style. The Specific Contributions of Seven Factors Involved in Health and Beauty. Maedica. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5706759/.
Elkhenany, H., AlOkda, A., El-Badawy, A., & El-Badri, N. (2018, October 28). Tissue regeneration: Impact of sleep on stem cell regenerative capacity. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002432051830688X.
Kline, C. E. (2014, August 7). The Bidirectional Relationship Between Exercise and Sleep: Implications for Exercise Adherence and Sleep Improvement . American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. https://doi-org.ezproxy.humber.ca/10.1177/1559827614544437.
LoGiudice, P. (2016). The little book of healthy beauty: simple daily habits to get you glowing. TarcherPerigee.
Potter, G. D. M., Skene, D. J., Arendt, J., Cade, J. E., Grant, P. J., & Hardie, L. J. (2016). Circadian rhythm and sleep disruption: Causes, metabolic consequences, and countermeasures. Endocrine Reviews, 37(6), 584-608. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.humber.ca/10.1210/er.2016-1083
Spector, N. (2018, July 30). Why 'beauty sleep' is real, according to doctors. https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-beauty-sleep-real-according-doctors-ncna895801
Sundelin, T., Lekander, M., Kecklund, G., Van Someren, E. J. W., Olsson, A., & Axelsson, J. (2013, September 1). Cues of Fatigue: Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Facial Appearance. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/36/9/1355/2453883.
Ward, M. (2017, October 6). This is the best time to have your cup of coffee. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/06/this-is-the-best-time-to-have-your-cup-of-coffee.html.
Wesley, N. O., & Talakoub, L. (2019, January 18). Beauty sleep: Sleep deprivation and the skin. MDedge. https://www.mdedge.com/obgyn/article/130640/aesthetic-dermatology/beauty-sleep-sleep-deprivation-and-skin
Wolfe, D. (2018). Eat for Beauty. In The beauty diet: unlock the five secrets of ageless beauty from the inside out (p. 206). essay, HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
8 reasons why you're not sleeping. Harvard Health. (2014, February). https://www.health.harvard.edu/sleep/8-reasons-why-youre-not-sleeping.
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