G I R L S G U I D E

❁ Everything you need to know about Beauty Sleep ❁

In this chapter, I am going to be showing you ways to get your beauty sleep, how it effects you, how having little sleep effects you, how to relax during the day and how to relax through meditation.

SLEEP

We've all heard about getting our 'beauty sleep', but a recent study has shown that sleep dow have an effect on how we perceive beauty.

A group of untrained observers were given 2 images of people after they had experienced sleep deprivation.

The observers were grading the images on
- healthiness
- attractiveness
- tiredness
In the most cases, the pictures of people with sleep deprivation were seen as less healthy and less attractive.

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SLEEP =
- blood vessels dilate, creating dark circles under the eyes
- inflammation increases in the body, which can effect your immune system
- collagen production slows and your skin can become dull
- your skin can't repair itself, leading to premature ageing

MORE SLEEP HOWEVER IMPROVES =
- your skins natural glow
- your skins elasticity
- your skins transparency

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP

- avoid eating before bed, especially grains, sugars and caffeine

- no screen time right before bed ; keep your TV, phone and tablet out of your bedroom

- drink water throughout the day to improve nightly hydration ; but don't drink too much water before bed

- keep your room dark and cool ; your bedroom shouldn't be over 70° Fahrenheit

- sleep on your back or side, not on your stomach

- use cotton sheets that breathe easy

- wash your sheets regularly ; but don't use detergent with strong fragrances, which can aggravate the skin

RELAXATION

It can be difficult to find time in your day to day life to relax and let go of your stress - but it's more important than ever.

DID YOU KNOW THAT ...
- 43% of adults in the U.S. suffer from health and beauty issues related to stress
- 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress related conditions

STRESS CAN WREAK SERIOUS HAVOC ON YOUR HEALTH AND APPEARANCE. STRESS CAN LEAD TO ...

• Acne or Wrinkles
- stress can cause hormonal imbalances
- excess cortisol production can dehydrate skin and cause wrinkles
- it can slow down healing time for injuries
- stress can also impair skin barrier function which affects the immune system
- it can also trigger pre-existing conditions like acne, eczema or psoriasis

• Graying Hair or Hair Loss
- on average 90% of your hair is in the 'growing phase' which can last 2-3 years
- after that your hair goes into the 'resting stage' for 3-4 months before falling out and starting the cycle again
- extra stress can cause an unnatural number of hair to go into the resting stage

• Sleep Deprivation
- 40% of U.S. adults admit to having lost sleep at night due to stress

• Weak or Splitting Nails
- stress can lead to nervous habits - the most common of which is nail bitting
- chronic stress and fatigue can also inhabit nail growth

• Weight Gain
- excess cortisol can also increase appetite
- it causes us to crave fatty and sugary foods, which contain serotonin, a chemical which improves mood.

MEDITATION

Meditation is one of the most powerful relaxation tools at your disposal.

Just 5 minutes of meditation a day can help ease anxiety.
Meditation can help our bodies enter a relaxed state and release chemicals that counter stress hormones.
Daily meditation can alter brain's neural pathways that make it easier for us the resist stress.

MEDITATION TIPS

1• Find a calm, quiet place where it is comfortable to sit
2• Sit up straight (use back support if necessary)
3• Close your eyes and place your hands on your lap
4• Slowly inhale through your nose until you fill your lungs
5• Slowly exhale through your mouth
^ deep breathing : slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure
^ it also oxygenates your body which boosts skin health, aids in detoxification
6• Become mindful of your body
^ focus on your toes, how they feel.
^ slowly move up your body, all the way to your head
^ identify where you can feel tension or pain
^ Focus on these areas during yoga, exercise, massage therapy, to decrease your stress and increase your health and beauty benefits.

I hope this helped you guys! Remember to vote and comment if you have any questions or recommendations :)

Kaesha xoxo