What could be better than a vacation to enjoy, go out, get away from it all but also rest? Great good for us, time off is certainly the best excuse to take care of yourself and find the ideal length of our nights, far from the office and the stress it generates. No more continuous awakenings and hello well-deserved nights. However, upon return, it is a question of keeping that good sleep regained and of extracting the best benefits for our personal well-being but also for our skin. Indeed, studies have shown that a sleep quality has a major impact on the quality of the skin. To us the complexion healthy and bright! Here is everything you need to know about the mechanism of the latter to (finally) find quality nights. How is our sleep structured If the amount of sleep is important, squality is just as much for the Well functioning of our body and mind. When we sleep good, our physical health as well as the activity of our brain are recharged. On a daily basis, this restoration is essential. During a single night, sleep is divided into 4 to 6 cycles ranging from 1:30 to 2 hours each. A figure that obviously varies depending on the person. Of them phases intervene during each cycle. First of all, a slow phase with slowing down of mental functions for an average of 1.5 hours. Then comes a REM phase during which, brain activity is intense although the sleeper enjoys a deep sleep. It lasts on average 15 minutes. However, the most restful sleep usually occurs during the first two cycles, which is the first 3 hours of sleep. Subsequently, during the night, sleep becomes more and more superficial and REM sleep increases. It is during this phase that we dream, which ensures good physical and mental health. Unfortunately, the quality of sleep deteriorates over the years, which is why there is nothing wrong with waking up once or twice during the night from your forties. What is it happening in our skin during sleep? During the day, every organ in the body is subjected to different stressors. It is therefore at night that they recover through sleep. In this register, it is the same for the epidermis. When we sleep, organs, tissues but also cells take advantage of this to regenerate and restart their production. It is therefore an essential rest phase for our skin which redoubles its efforts while We are resting. It turns out that the latter acts differently day and night. According to the dermatologist Laurence Netter, “It acts during the day as a barrier protecting against pollution, the sun and the penetration of particles. But at night, it regenerates because the number of cell multiplications is at its maximum. Between midnight and two in the morning in particular, its permeability is greater”. This is dû to the increase in blood flow during the REM phase of sleep, which is none other than the source of irrigation and repair of our skin. So aDeficiency in sleep will result in loss of hydration, elasticity, oxygenation and repair. The skin is then dull, dry, rough, marked with fine lines and more oily. A night's sleep of less than 7 hours does not allow the body to relieve all the stress of the day. The stress hormone cortisol, responsible for falling again during the night, therefore remains elevated in the blood. And while the night should bring advice, the body instead finds itself confronted with the effects of stress which modifies the immunity of the body and the skin. Has too much In large quantities, this same hormone stimulates the breakdown of collagen, the protein responsible for the suppleness and firmness of the skin. In the event of chronic stress, this same cortisol sees its secretion run away, generating inflammation and causing eczema, psoriasis or acne. Treatments to recover from the effects of a bad night's sleep Of all these explained processes, the night is therefore the best time to give the skin a little good time. Between midnight and two in the morning, the latter goes into deep sleep and the skin repair process reaches its peak. At this stage, cellular differentiation and reorganization are intensified, the barrier function of the skin is repaired, microcirculation accelerates and desquamation increases. It is therefore a question of opting for care highly concentrated in anti-inflammatory and restorative active ingredients designed to recreate the effects of sleep on the skin and display, however rested features upon awakening. Night creams, masks and serums containing essential oils are therefore welcome because the latter are real vectors of active penetration in depth. They are used at night on clean, makeup-free skin and will be absorbed by the skin, which turns out to be more permeable. And to prepare for sleep and relax the facial muscles, skin massage is a great ally. At L'ODAÏTÈS, our serum concentrated in repairing active ingredients allows a significant supply of nutrients. These same nutrients will be transported deep into the dermis using the power of the essential oils mentioned above with on one side Rosemary with antioxidant power and the other neroli, with anti-inflammatory power. The tools to help you To make your night more beautiful, softer and above all of better quality, there are a few keys. The first thing to do is to get into the habit of cutting out all stimulants like tea and / or coffee by around 2 p.m., especially if stress starts. In addition, a properly ventilated bedroom, dim lighting, and a distance from bright screens will help you feel sleep. Finally, know that there are applications to help you analyze your nights such as Sleep Better or i Sleep, which record the different cycles and provide a history to study. Moreover, some companies have bet on connected devices dedicated to sleep such as Morpheus Box which fights against insomnia.