Are you getting your Beauty Sleep?

Are you getting your beauty sleep?

Not a myth but scientific fact!

• Early in the nighttime sleep cycle, people typically have a surge in growth hormone. This period of deep sleep (stage 3 and 4) contributes to what people call ‘beauty sleep’, as increased secretions of growth hormone help repair and rebuild body tissues (including muscle and bone) and help “plump” the subcutaneous tissues reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Increases in growth hormone can rejuvenate and energise the body.

Many of the body’s cells show increased production and reduced breakdown of proteins during sleep. Since proteins are the building blocks needed for cell growth and for repair of damage from factors like stress and ultraviolet rays, deep sleep may truly be the “beauty sleep” we dream of.

• Increased growth hormone is believed to be linked to the “fasting stage” which develops during human sleep. But if we do not sleep well then this stage does not occur. There is evidence now emerging that skin regenerates faster at night than during the day, so another reason to get a good night sleep.

Human night time sleep is lengthy compared with other animals. Other animals usually don’t have a release of growth hormone during sleep and few other mammals enter a fasting stage during sleep. Herbivores continue to digest food throughout their sleep, carnivores gorge on meat, which can take 24hrs to digest and rodents wake up periodically during the night to nibble on more food.

Our sleep process is unique and this amazing, natural and almost effortless opportunity to repair and rejuvenate our body should not be easily dismissed.

• The human sleep related growth human surge may be a mechanism to protect tissue protein against potentially detrimental effects of the sleep fast and to promote the body’s mobilisation of its’ fat reserves. So not only can a good night of sleep help make you look younger but slimmer also! (see research on obesity and poor sleep)

So, what happens if you ignore the science and do not get your beauty sleep? Well, it will negatively affect your body fat percentage and risk the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. It is not just the lack of sleep that affects these factors but the QUALITY of sleep also.

• Peace Pillows can give better quality and quantity of sleep needed.Deep sleep also helps to negate the harmful effects of cortisol in the body. The hormone related to stress.

It is a scientific fact that growth hormone naturally decreases with age as well as with increased abdominal fat which leads to a vicious circle of fatigue, increased stress hormone (cortisol)etc. etc. The importance of growth hormone levels is so far reaching that synthetic forms are readily used by some to increase levels…….. don’t they know they could raise their levels with good nightly hours of deep sleep?

• Activity in parts of the brain that control emotions, decision making processes and social interactions is drastically reduced during deep sleep. This suggests that this type of sleep may help people maintain optimal emotional and social functioning whilst awake. (We all know how “cranky” we can feel if we have been up or disturbed the night before)

Some cosmetic products are susceptible to sunlight and so are more effective if applied at night. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and E will stay active on the skin longer in the dark. Furthermore, with the Peace Pillow, that supports your neck and head, movement is greatly reduced so expensive beauty creams are absorbed into the skin and not wiped over the pillow case.

• A relaxed sleeping posture, especially on your back can be comfortably maintained when you sleep on the Peace Pillow due to the support to the head and neck. The mouldable visco elastic memory foam minimises pressure points and maintains an even temperature that helps your muscles relax for hours. By avoiding sleeping on your front or sides it greatly reduces the pressure points and “skin drag” over the facial tissues that helps prevent skin creasing and wrinkles. People generally will always favour one side to sleep on and as we age, the side we sleep on seems to age just a little bit quicker on a bad pillow.

Good quality and quantity of sleep is so important to our optimum wellbeing. What are you waiting for? ……….if the Peace Pillow offers you more comfort and a deeper sleep the nature will take care of the rest!