Beauty sleep: when our skin repairs itself

As human beings we spend about a third of our lives sleeping. This may seem like a long time if we think of it as a period of total inactivity, but during sleep our organism does not stop working, instead it sets in motion a series of mechanisms and strategies that allow us to recover energy, while our body regenerates itself and prepares to face a new day.   

Sleep therefore plays an essential role in sustaining life and its lack or poor quality can negatively affect our physical and mental health, our mood and ultimately also our appearance.   

Skin is one of the organs most affected by the regeneration process carried out by our organism while we sleep: have you ever heard of the so-called "beauty sleep"? Our skin, particularly so that  on our face, reacts negatively to a lack of sleep: dark circles, puffy eyes and a dull complexion are just some of the symptoms linked to a poor quality of rest.   

But what are the natural mechanisms that make sleep a natural anti-ageing treatment? 

Firstly, while we sleep, the levels of cortisol, also known as the 'stress hormone', decrease. An excess of cortisol can lead to the onset or aggravation of certain skin conditions, such as acne and eczema. 

At the same time, growth hormone levels increase, which stimulates the natural regeneration of our connective tissues. During the night, in fact, in the deepest layers of the dermis there is a peak in the synthesis of collagen, the protein that "supports" the skin tissues, giving them tone, elasticity and consistency. 

In addition, at night we are generally less exposed to damaging agents that are harmful to the health of the skin, such as the sunlight and pollution. Our organism takes advantage of this condition to remedy the stress and damage suffered during the day. 

While we rest, our skin "repairs" itself, and it's at this time that it's most receptive. Choosing products that support our body's natural renewal process helps us optimise the beneficial effects of sleep. That's why Nissha Co., Ltd. has developed Microneedle Patch technology: thousands of tiny micro-needles infuse the skin's stratum corneum with an exclusive hyaluronic acid-based beauty formula for waking up to a plumped, hydrated, glowing skin.