Snoozing for Healthy Skin

Who doesn't want to wake up more beautiful? Sleeping beauty really had the right idea...but when hectic schedules and early morning meetings get in the way, it really is hard to make sleep a priority!

I have been on the move for the past two weekends, traveling late at night and from the east coast to the west coast, and all this traveling has really affected my sleep schedule! I'm sleeping later and later and even when I wake up after 8+ hours of rest, I feel lazy and lethargic.

The first thing I notice after a few nights of low sleep is breakouts and dull skin :( From what I've read up on, this only gets worse with age, so good to be proactive and start treating your body right ASAP! This is why I have decided to implement a new sleep schedule for myself. Not only will it help me to be more productive in my daily life, but it will also give me healthier skin! Here is what I am planning to do:

1) Pick a set time each night to start preparing for sleep (i.e. brushing teeth, changing into pj's, taking out contacts) -- We are creatures of habit. Performing the same set of activities at the same time each night before sleeping will help to prepare our body for sleep.

2) Make the bedroom "sleep friendly" -- With the summer season fully upon us, getting comfortable enough to sleep can be hard. Make sure your bedroom is comfortably cool, quiet, and dark. Try to reduce as many annoyances as possible by pulling down the window shades and keeping windows closed if you live in a noisy neighborhood. Try using a sleep mask or ear plugs if need be.

3) Relax -- No matter how stressful the day was or how busy tomorrow is going to be, now is not to time to think about it. Nothing is worse than tossing and turning the night away! Use the time before you fall asleep to calm down your mind and remove your tensions. I find that doing this not only helps me sleep better but also reduces the chances that I'll have some freaky work-related nightmare!

4) Pick a set time to wake up and stick to it! -- This is the hardest part for me. On those mornings when I have no set obligations (it is nice to be a consultant, I'll admit it), it is difficult to drag myself out of my comfortable bed. But, since I never really feel refreshed after sleeping in, I've decided its time to get a little firm with myself and force myself to wake up and start being productive every day at a set time. This will not only reinforce the nighttime schedule, but will allow you to increase your morning productivity (clearly, I am not a morning person :P )

In addition to my sleep regimen, I am also going to:

- Hydrate more

Nothing says beautiful, healthy skin like a well-hydrated body!

- Take a daily multivitamin

I don't always maintain the healthiest diet, this way I am making sure I am getting the vitamins that I need

- Exfoliate once a week

Removing dead skin cells helps to brighten skin. Don't over do this though, as newly exfoliated skin is very sensitive! I like to exfoliate my face at nighttime when I won't immediately be exposing it to sunlight or the outdoors. Immediately after exfoliating I apply Pond's Dry Skin Cream.

- Apply sunscreen daily

The sun can really take a toll on your skin, so it's good to protect it with sunblock! I have been using Neutrogena Healthy Defense daily moisturizer (untinted) with SPF 45 on my face every morning and have been applying Neutrogena UVA/UVB Sunblock Lotion with SPF 45 on my arms and legs when I go out during sunlight hours.

Today is my start date, so I'll keep you all updated on how my sleep/healthy skin regimen goes :) Happy Zzzz's everyone!

Til next time,

Mani :)