Sleep “N” Beauty! Do you skimp on sleep? We all know how important good nutrition and a healthy active lifestyle are for our health and our appearance. But do you know how crucial a good night’s sleep is?

They call it “Beauty Sleep” for a reason and, for me, that phrase is a guilt free excuse to sleep in and catch as many Zzzzz’s as possible. But sometimes it just isn’t that easy.

Getting a good night’s sleep, no matter how tired we are, can be difficult. We have so many things to do, and so much on our minds, that sometimes it’s hard to shut it all down and get some quality sleep. The fact is that without sleep we tend to look tired, run down and I hate to say it… OLDER!

The Buzz on Beauty Sleep

Here are a few quick tips to help you unwind and drift off into dream land for a good 8 hours of beauty rest.

 - Exercise

Samantha will be the first to tell you that exercise will help keep stress hormones from interfering with our sleep. Even if you only have 20 minutes to take a brisk walk, do it! It will definitely help you sleep better at night.

 - Don’t eat too late in the day

Try not to over-indulge just before bedtime. Large meals late in the day lead to an active digestive system that can definitely disrupt your sleep. And avoid caffeine. Coffee, non-herbal teas, some soda, chocolate; all can contain caffeine – a stimulant that can definitely keep us awake much longer then we would like. Try to avoid caffeine at least 4 hours before bedtime. Instead opt for a nice chamomile tea which is perfect for bedtime.

 - Use your bed for sleep

Time to turn off the TV, put down the electronic games and close that laptop. Our beds are for sleeping not for working. If we use our bed for sleep and not as a substitute couch, we will definitely reduce the risk of developing sleep disorders.

 - A cozy bedroom is key

My bedroom is my favorite room in the house. It’s comfy, it’s cozy, and it’s calm. The three main things we all need for a night of pure beauty sleep. Be sure your bedroom lighting doesn’t resemble interrogation lighting by keeping it soft.Do what you can to eliminate excess noise and keep the temperature at around 68F or 20C if you can. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold will result in a lot of tossing and turning during the night.

 - Develop a beauty ritual

Consistency is key when it comes to a good night’s sleep. If possible, try to go to bed around the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Take a relaxing bath; listen to some music, read your favorite magazine. Choose stress-free activities that will encourage relaxation. Scary movies at bedtime … not a good thing.

 - Get it all out

One thing that helps me out tremendously is writing things down. Sounds silly but if I can make a to-do list, vent my frustrations or simply journal about my day, I can definitely sleep better at night. Take the thoughts from the brain to a notebook and you don’t lie awake thinking about all of the things you forgot to do or wish you had done. Clear the head to make way for some sweet dreams.

***

Why nothing should come between you and your beauty sleep

Remember, it’s when we’re sleeping that our body repairs itself. Our bodies work all through the night to help heal our cells and this directly affects the overall health and appearance of our skin. If we don’t get enough sleep then our fine lines and wrinkles appear more noticeable, we wake up with dark circles and under-eye puffiness, and our complexion looks pale and dull. We also wake up cranky. When we’re cranky we don’t tend to smile very much and, trust me, a fabulous smile can take years off of our appearance.

I would love to hear any of your bedtime tricks for a good night’s sleep.

Written by beauty expert, Jacquie Carter. Jacquie is Director of Outer Nutrition at Herbalife.