How Does Sleep Affect the Skin and How Often Do Skin Cells Regenerate

Sleep remains one of the most underrated hacks for great skin. When your body is at rest, your skin enters recovery mode repairing daily damage, regenerating new cells and resetting itself for the next day. But how does this reboot work and what impact does it have on the skin? The D Wave is here to explain exactly how sleep affects your skin

The benefits of sleep are far reaching and its impact is further pronounced when we hit the bed early. Because most of the activity happens between 11 pm - 4 pm

Rest & Digest Mode - When we fall asleep, our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is activated especially during the deep non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage. As The PNS takes over, your body enters relaxation mode as your heart slows down, your muscles relax, your blood pressure lowers - all of which collectively stimulate digestion and repair. At this point, your fight or flight mode is officially switched off. Your body at this stage focuses on healing, repair, regeneration, realigning. That's why entering into a restful stage is essential for this shift.

Some of the hormonal shifts that take place during this deep sleep stage plays a significant role in skin regeneration:

The pituitary gland secretes the Growth hormone - and this happens only at a time when the body is still and inactive- that's why deep sleep is important for its release to take place. Once the growth hormones are active, it commences its healing process

Timing is a matter of importance for the growth hormone; when your body is awake, it is using its energy for other things with little focus to give to repair and resetting.

Cortisol, our stress hormone that plays a role in triggering the fight or flight mode, slows down. This contributes to the efficacy of the repair process.

Melatonin is one of the hormones that is controlled by our circadian rhythm (our body clock) so its production commences at night. This hormone is also a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce the impact of free radicals and aids in repair.

Flushing out toxins:

In fact, during sleep, the body takes cellular clean up a notch higher as damaged cells are repaired and replaced. The toxins and any excessive build up are flushed out via the brain's waste removal process. The skin also undergoes DNA repair to reverse sun and pollution-induced damage.

Temperature drop helps release melatonin

As we enter deeper stages of sleep, our core temperature drops which further stimulates melatonin production which in turns helps with any skin barrier repair.

Blood Flow Increases to the Skin

During sleep, especially around midnight to 2 AM, blood flow to the skin increases, delivering oxygen and nutrients while removing waste. This supports cell turnover and helps your skin heal and renew.

Immune System Reset

Your immune system becomes more active during sleep, this helps your body fight infections and repair inflammation—including skin inflammation like acne or eczema.

Sleep may look like an idle activity but it’s a powerful reboot system that allows your skin to start afresh.

So how does the impact of sleep reflect on our skin?

Cell Turnover Speed:

Skin cells regenerate faster at night. Reports suggest that the process by which cells divide and multiply—peaks between 11 pm to 4pm. This means old cells are bid adieu and new cells are welcomed leading to smoother, fresher skin.

How often do skin cells regenerate?

The process of cell turnover is ongoing but it is known to peak at night - The cycle is known to range across 28-40 days. With younger adults, skin regeneration happens faster while older skin noticeably takes longer. A night routine might help fast-track the process especially if actives meant for skin cell regeneration are used consistently as part of the routine.

Increased Collagen Production

At night, owing to increased release of the growth hormone, collagen production is activated which helps iron out fine lines, improves elasticity and even fade out scars.

Improved Blood Flow

As the blood circulation improves when asleep, more nutrients penetrate into your skin cells - that's why our skin looks fresh in the morning. as your body has been hard at repair.

Regulation of Environmental Damage

Your skin is exposed to pollution, dust, the sun and stress throughout the day. At night, your skin gets a do over which helps reduce the impact of oxidative stress.

Moisture Balance Restoration

Your body adjusts its hydration levels during sleep and helps prevent water loss. But this function of restoring balance must be supported by hydration and deep intense moisturisation.

Need we tell you what happens when you don't get enough sleep?

The effects of sleep deprivation show up on your skin almost immediately:

Improve the benefits of sleep with a PM Routine

While getting enough sleep is necessary, one can elevate its impact with a PM Routine. Let your skin breathe and sleep happy. And we will show you how. After a long day, your skin needs its rest too. and that's why it's important to allot some time to clean up, provide necessary hydration and incorporate serums that could accelerate the renewal and repair process.

Remove Makeup & Cleanse

Start by thoroughly removing dirt, oil, SPF, and makeup that’s built up through the day. A clean base is the most important step as it allows the subsequent products to seep in better and works its magic.

The D Wave Deep Pore cleanser helps detoxify your skin as it takes off all the dirt, dead skin cells, build-up without stripping your skin dry. The Plant actives in this product contain anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties because of which your skin feels calm and clean after every wash. It is the go-to product for thorough cleansing.

Apply a Toner (an option)

A toner helps rebalance your skin’s pH and preps it to absorb active ingredients. If you're using potent actives a soothing toner can help minimise the initial irritation.

Use a Targeted Treatment

This is the heart of your nighttime routine. Choose a serum based on your skin concern and what concern you hope to address. Also choose actives that contribute to skin rejuvenation, repair and renewal.

The D Wave Cell Rejuvenating Complex Night Cream helps your exhausted skin rewrite its story in the gentlest manner. This formulation contains Argan Stem cells, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic acid - each has a role to play. Our Plant stem cells owing to its regenerative properties plays an integral role in renewing tired skin to give you back your radiant complexion. It activates the skin’s repair mode. Niacinamide works towards strengthening your skin barrier while Hyaluronic acid locks in on all the moisture to give you a dewy, plumped look. Combine your restful night with this potent PM formulation and you will wake up to new, fresh, healthy skin every day!

Moisturize

The moisturiser is like the closing product; it ‘seals the deal’;. These creams are usually meant to be thicker as they work towards rebuilding hydration, strengthening the skin barrier and softening your skin’s texture.

Our Moisture Boost Gel Creme contains Olive squalane - the ultimate light-weight hydration inducer and you are left with no clogged pores either! Your skin will feel hydrated, plumped up and nourished after an application of the Moisture boost Gel. Time to lock in some light-weight goodness!

The other things you can do to ensure you maintain sleep discipline:

The best thing you can do for your skin is get a good night’s rest. It is during these hours, your body is working its hardest so that your skin can, rebuild its foundation, undo the damage caused by external disruptors and continue to shine! Combine that with a simple yet effective night time routine and your future skin will thank you!