Beauty sleep IS a thing! Have you ever had a really late night and woken up worse-for-wear in the morning? Your eyes are puffy and red, your skin seems to be dull and blah and you just can’t seem to get your hair to sit right. Well with all that in mind, you must then be aware that sleep is essential to how beautiful you look and feel.

When you get adequate, good quality sleep, your body repays you in the following ways:

No. 1 Prettier eyes

When you sleep well, your blood flow has a chance to do its thing properly. Waking up after a good night’s sleep should have your eyes looking brighter, wider and with more sparkle. Those under-eye bags don’t have to follow you around. Get your 7-8 hours!

No. 2 Healthier hair

Poor sleep for an extended period can leave you with dull, lank hair and can even result in hair loss. Keep in mind that your sleep time is when your body does its best healing and growing. Prioritise your sleep and your hairdresser will be complimenting you in no time.

No. 3 Beautiful skin

Again, your body heals best when you’re asleep so give your skin a chance to recover from the traumas it endures. Sun, heat, cold, poor diet, hormonal fluctuations and cosmetics all contribute to the condition of your skin. When you go to bed with a cleansed face and enjoy quality sleep, you do your skin a world of good and it’ll show every time you look in the mirror.

No. 4 Slow ageing

Ok, we’re all ageing a day at a time but it doesn’t have to show! Did you know that your skin produces more collagen when you’re snoozing? The result is more supple skin and less noticeable wrinkles. That’s got to be one of the best ever reasons for catching your 40 winks!

No. 5 Your energy shows

A vibrant, energetic person is magnetic and enviable. But you can’t fake that kind of effervescence. You need sleep and a good dose of it every night. When you feel really well rested, you practically bounce out of bed, ready to face the day with pleasure.

Think of sleep as an indulgence

It can be really easy to think of sleep as drudgery. You want to binge-watch your favourite TV series, go out and socialise, stay up late and work or study, or scroll through your social media into the wee hours. Stop it! Sleep should be an indulgence that you treat yourself to on a nightly basis. Remembering how beneficial it is for your state of mind, your energy and yes, your looks is a great way to ensure you get yourself tucked in at a reasonable hour. Read: Sleep time is the new me time.

Think you could treat your body to an early night some time soon? Also check out this blog post: 9 reasons why you need good sleep.