As dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and aesthetic practitioners, you’re used to helping patients turn back the hands of time. You’re the foremost experts on reducing the signs of aging and improving patient confidence. But what if the treatment that is missing from your patients’ lives is actually sufficient sleep? Here are a few reasons why sleep should be an essential element any anti-aging or beauty routine.

Rest is Essential, But Hydration Plays a Role Too

Before you take a deep dive into your patients’ sleep habits, you may want to ask about their drinking habits. Specifically, your patients should know that hydration and sleep play a critical role in their body’s ability to fight signs of aging. We should all be sure to drink plenty of water and utilize a quality moisturizer on a daily basis. As a physician, you have likely shared this advice with your patients, but some people simple hate drinking plain water. In these cases, try to offer that hydration alternatives. Teas, fruit water and even juice can help keep water haters hydrated, but it’s important to avoid consuming certain water substitutes too often. While ever-popular sparkling waters can be a comparable source of hydration, those tiny bubbles can worsen digestive issues and even cause people to consume less of it than still water.

Sleep Quality May Matter More Than Sleep Quantity

You already know your patients need rest in order to preserve their youth. What may be surprising, however, is that a few deep sleep hours can be more beneficial than an entire night of more shallow sleep. It is within these hours that the body goes to work repairing various physical elements, but emotional health is being preserved by the brain as well. So getting better sleep, rather than simply more of it, is a much better anti-aging solution overall. How can your patients increase the quality of their sleep? Creating a relaxing nightly routine and consistent sleep schedule can certainly help. Some patients may also benefit from the use of recent sleep tech. Biofeedback devices and sleep trackers can be especially helpful in monitoring sleep patterns so that patients will know exactly how well they are sleeping.

Preferred Sleep Positions Can Impact Signs of Aging Too

In addition to the quality of nightly sleep, preferred postures can also have a significant impact on skin health and appearance. Sleep experts at Johns Hopkins have consistently observed increased instances of acne and wrinkles in patients who prefer to sleep on their side or stomach. Skin should have minimal contact with the pillow during sleep, since the pressure exerted can cause issues with elasticity and cell turnover. But some patients cannot sleep on their backs due to other physical concerns or discomforts. In these cases, you can recommend the use of a skin-preserving silk pillowcase. High-quality silk pillowcases may be a bit of a splurge for some patients, but the boosts for their skin and hair will be worth the investment.

Some Sleep Disorders Can Even Shorten Patients’ Lifespans

The focus of this article so far has been to provide anti-aging sleep and health solutions. But if your patients’ sleep issues put them at risk for a shorter lifespan, that needs to be addressed as well. After all, dealing with sleep-related health problems or issues like heart disease or diabetes can put more emotional stress on your patients, which can affect their appearance. If an individual is unable to improve their quality of sleep with self-care or basic interventions, more tests may need to be administered. Serious sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, are identified with the help of various diagnostic tests typically performed during a sleep study. These tests can be performed together, to rule out all possible issues, but it’s important for treatment to begin as soon as a disorder is officially identified.

Getting better sleep is a simple way for your patients to complement their anti-aging and beauty treatment plans. In addition to providing physically-evident benefits for the body and skin, adequate sleep is also crucial for the brain and emotional health. Quite simply, there are a multitude of reasons to encourage your patients to get their beauty rest.

Photo Credit: Pexels