Your Sleeping Position May Be Causing Wrinkles!

We like to think that a nutritious diet, lots of water, and a nice layer of SPF are all we need to keep our skin looking healthy and fresh. But did you know that some of your daily habits and routines could actually ruin your skin? If you’ve been noticing a less than glowing complexion staring back at you in the mirror, you could be committing one of the biggest (and most surprising!) skin no-no’s: sleeping on your side.

How to Prevent Sleep Wrinkles

1. Sleep on your back: According to the American Academy of Dermatology, resting your face on the pillow, in the same way, every night for years can lead to wrinkles, most likely on your lips, eyes, chin and chest. People who sleep on their backs don’t develop these wrinkles since their skin doesn’t lie crumpled against the pillow.
2. Use pillows as props: If you’re one of those people who finds it difficult to stay sleeping on your back, try placing a U-shaped pillow around your neck and prop yourself with other pillows on your sides and under your knees so you don't turn over in your sleep.
3. Invest in satin pillowcases: If back sleeping just isn’t an option for you, don’t worry- satin pillowcases are a great alternative to the usual cotton pillowcases. It’s much easier for your face to slide against satin as opposed to cotton, so sleep lines are less likely to be formed.
4. Use silicon pads while sleeping: Silicon pads are designed to correct and prevent wrinkles on the face and are worn while sleeping.  They relax, retrain and prevent the muscles and skin from forming wrinkles. Prolonged use will help return the skin to a more youthful and supple appearance.

5. Use a Microneedling Tool at home: A Microneedler triggers new collagen and creates microchannels through the surface of the skin, allowing the actives found in your skincare products to reach the depths of the skin more effectively.

What to AVOID doing

1. Stomach Sleeping: Your stomach is probably the worst position to sleep in. Your face is compressed into the pillow and can create a significant amount of sleep wrinkles.
2. Alcohol before bed: This one could be tough, but try not to drink alcohol right before going to sleep when possible! This can lead to face puffiness in the morning, which only makes sleep wrinkles look worse.
3. Using the same pillowcase repeatedly: It’s important to change your pillowcase as much as possible- daily is best! When we sleep, we shed dead skin and oils that ultimately end up on our pillow.  Therefore, it doesn’t matter how good your nighttime skin regimen is; if you don’t change your pillow sheet, you’re sleeping in dead skin and oil!