Get Your Beauty Sleep: Not Enough Rest and Relaxation Linked to Premature Skin Aging

A new study shows that lack of sleep not only greatly affects our daily ability to function, it can actually cause our skin to age more quickly.

According to a clinical trial commissioned by Estee Lauder, and conducted by physician-scientists at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center, researchers found that those who didn't get enough shut eye were at an increased risk for premature skin aging.

"Our study is the first to conclusively demonstrate that inadequate sleep is correlated with reduced skin health and accelerates skin aging. Sleep deprived women show signs of premature skin aging and a decrease in their skin's ability to recover after sun exposure," Baron said in a press release. "Insufficient sleep has become a worldwide epidemic. While chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to medical problems such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and immune deficiency, its effects on skin function have previously been unknown."

Researchers examined 60 pre-menopausal women between the ages of 30 and 49, with half of them falling into the poor quality sleep category. Researchers evaluated the women's skin and found that through a variety of tests involving UV exposure and a standard questionnaire-based assessment of sleep quality, women who were not getting enough sleep showed more signs of fine lines, uneven pigmentation and reduced elasticity on their face, neck and chest.

Study results also showed that women who don't get enough R & R in general are more likely to be overweight or obese.

"This research shows for the first time, that poor sleep quality can accelerate signs of skin aging and weaken the skin's ability to repair itself at night," said Dr. Daniel Yarosh, a senior vice president at Estée Lauder, via a press release. "These connections between sleep and skin aging, now supported with solid scientific data, will have a profound effect on how we study skin and its functions. We see these findings as yet another way we can direct our scientific research toward the real needs of our customers who want to look and feel their best."

Knowing how much sleep each person needs can be tricky. Depending on the person's age, wait and sex, some may need more or less. For instance, the National Sleep Foundation notes that there is no "magic number" when figuring out how much an individual needs to rest and function when it comes to the optimal amount.

However, here's a good indicator of how much sleep some may need to engage in healthy activities day to day, via the foundation.

-Newborns (0-2 months): 12-18 hours
-Infants (3 to 11 months): 14 to 15 hours
-Toddlers (1-3 years): 12 to 14 hours

-Preschoolers (3-5 years): 11 to 13 hours
-School-age children (5-10 years): 10 to 11 hours
-Teens (10-17 years): 8.5-9.25 hours
-Adults: 7-9 hours