Beauty Skincare This Is How Sleep Impacts Your Skin By Marianne Mychaskiw Marianne Mychaskiw Instagram Marianne Mychaskiw is a New York-based freelance writer, editor, and lover of Britney Spears who covers everything from beauty and style, to wellness and entertainment. A graduate of St. John's University, Mychaskiw was a previous staffer at InStyle, working her way up from intern to associate beauty editor — so you already know she will never leave the house without slathering on mineral sunscreen. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on April 21, 2017 Pin Share Tweet Email Photo: Getty As it turns out, there's something to that whole idea of "beauty sleep." On the nights where you don't get your regular 8 hours, it's almost expected that some careful blending will be needed to cover the dark circles under your eyes, but not getting enough sleep can have a negative impact on the rest of your skin as a whole. "A lack of sleep depresses the body's immune system, which is very important for normal skin health, and a 'glowing' appearance," explains Dr. S. Manjula Jegasothy MD, dermatologist and founder of Miami Skin Institute. "A lack of sleep can reduce blood flow to the skin surface, causing it to look ashy or grey instead of rosy." Counteract the effects by investing in a rich moisturizer, and if things are really extreme, regular facials (or even a Fraxel treatment as a last-ditch effort) can help increase bloodflow. VIDEO: Skin Treatments Dermatologists Say Are a Waste of Money RELATED: 6 At-Home Peels That Will Leave Your Skin Insanely Glowy As the warriors and poets known as the Spice Girls once said, too much of something is just as tough. Going into full-on sloth mode can have adverse effects on your complexion. "If you sleep too much, more than 10 hours a day, you may not be getting enough exercise or have activity levels sufficient to promote good blood flow to all areas of the body, which includes the skin," she says. According to Dr. Jegasothy, you should aim to get around 8 to 9 hours in your teens, while 7 to 8 hours is the sweet spot for most adults. For some reason, that amount of time decreases as we get older. "Once you reach your 40s, 50s, and 60s, it's pretty common to find that 5 to 7 hours of sleep is enough," she adds. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit