The Role of Sleep in your Skin Health

by Allie White, APRN-C

September 2025

We have all heard the age-old expression our mothers and grandmothers might have used referring to their “beauty sleep”.  As it turns out, this phrase has some scientific truth behind it!

When we think of maintaining healthy skin, anti-aging tactics, and skin cancer prevention, sleep may not be the first factor that comes to mind. Although there are many ways to elicit glowing skin, a lack of consistent, quality sleep could be holding us back from the most vibrant version of ourselves!

What the research tells us: A lack of quality sleep has been shown in many studies to be linked to poor skin health, accelerated aging and a higher incidence of certain skin disorders.

Sleep deprivation can contribute to several skin concerns, including (but certainly not limited to) the following:

• An increase in inflammation and associated inflammatory skin conditions (think, acne, rosacea, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis)
• Dryness/dullness due to impairing the body’s ability to properly retain moisture (think, more pronounced fine lines, rough texture, lackluster complexion)
• Dark circles/puffiness resulting from dilated blood vessels under the eyes and fluid accumulation (think, bags, and not the designer type)
• Impaired skin barrier – weakening of the skin’s protective barrier makes it more vulnerable and less prepared to battle external irritants like UV rays, pollutants and bacteria (think, dull skin, breakouts and more visible pores)
• Accelerated aging – this occurs when certain hormones like cortisol remain elevated in a state of sleep deprivation causing chronic inflammation and robbing us of crucial repair time that is designed to occur during restful, quality sleep.
• Immunologic dysfunction can occur in relation to certain sleep disorders that cause an interruption in the breathing pattern, particularly conditions like sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea has specifically been related to more aggressive melanoma skin cancers (American Thoracic Society, 2016).

Okay, so now that we’ve covered the basics of the role sleep plays in our skin health, lets switch gears and talk about some tips and tricks for improving sleep, because like everything in life, this is easier said than done with the natural rhythm of life, daily stressors, interrupted circadian rhythms, unideal schedules and underlying sleep disorders at play.

1. Attempting to maintain a regular sleep schedule- as hard as this may seem dependent upon the stage of life you may be in, waking and going to sleep at consistent times can play a tremendous role in sleep health. Aim to get a consistent 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
2. Creating a suitable sleep environment using room darkness, reducing blue light exposure before bed, low or no noise levels and a cool room temperature will contribute to the quality of sleep we want to experience.
3. Regular exercise, which provides countless benefits to the overall state of our health, done at least a few hours before bed can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
4. A nighttime routine- much like skin care routines, consistency is key. Implementing nightly routines to prepare for restful sleep can cue the body over time that it’s time for rest and repair. Choose calming activities like a warm bath, a warm beverage and a book to read, over stimulating activities with loud noises or bright lights.
5. If you believe you may have an underlying sleep disorder such as sleep apnea or insomnia, consider evaluation and treatment from your medical provider. Sleep is just as important as our other vital signs and affects every aspect of our health.

A new, and vital addition to your skin care regimen: beauty sleep.

I encourage you to continue your current skin care regimens including all of the retinoids, antioxidants, peptides, moisturizers, SPF’s and barrier protectants your best skin could dream of… but if you walk away  with anything from this blog post today, consider quality sleep less of a luxury and more of an essential tool in the proper care of your body, mind and SKIN.

With love,

Allie White, NP-C