National Sleep Awareness Week: Prevent Premature Aging with Proper Rest & Nighttime Skin Treatments

Slumber party: Sweet deep sleep.

Time to get your beauty rest. It's National Sleep Awareness Week!

Most of us don't get a good night's sleep. However, proper rest not only improves your health and quality of life, it may also significantly increase your longevity. In fact, researchers say that seven to eight hours of Zzzs each night help boost your memory, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and keep your emotional well-being in check.

On the other hand, lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your body and complexion. If your skin doesn't get a chance to renew and repair itself during the night, it can result in sagging, puffy eyes, dark circles and premature aging. Plus, the way you position yourself in bed can cause problems, so avoid sleeping on your side or stomach. It may result in facial creasing, fine lines and wrinkling. Instead, rest on your back and stay in this position throughout the night.

If you need to step up your slumber strategy, the National Sleep Foundation suggests the following tips: 

 • Avoid napping during the day.

 • Prior to bedtime, steer clear of caffeine, chocolate, nicotine and alcohol.

 • Participate in regular exercise.

 • Establish a relaxing bedtime routine, such as sipping a cup of herbal tea or listening to soothing music. 

 • Keep your sleep environment comfortable, quiet and cool (between 60 and 67 degrees).

You also want to maintain proper skincare practices as much at night as you do in the morning. This means you need to remove your makeup and cleanse your face prior to bedtime to keep your pores unclogged. Plus, apply a nourishing night cream that will help hydrate and heal your skin while you sleep without irritating it. 

The following moisturizers will turn you into a sleeping beauty in no time. Sweet dreams!

SHINE: B-Leve B-Restful Rejuvenating Night Cream. BEAUTY: Deeply moisturize and mend damaged skin cells with safflower and castor oils, grape stem cell extract and peptides. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Night Cream. BEAUTY: Replenish essential skin nutrients and restore radiance with yerba mate tea leaf, and inca inchi, olive and castor oils. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates, parabens, petrolatum, dyes and phthalates. Supports The Nature Conservancy and Forest Stewardship Council.

SHINE: Skin Authority Night Revitalizer. BEAUTY: Brighten dull skin and tighten fine lines with sunflower seed oil, glycolic acid, aloe vera leaf juice and algae extract. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, dyes and added fragrances. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Veria Innerdosha Ideal Night Moisturizer. BEAUTY: Sunflower seed oil, shea fruit butter, hyaluronic acid and peptides help restart collagen production and smooth fine lines while you sleep. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Contains no parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, artificial colors or GMOs.

SHINE: Vie Collection Night Peel Progressive Resurfacing Cream. BEAUTY: Gently exfoliate your skin to leave it more luminous with vitamin E, and algae and shea butter extracts. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

Sleeping Beauty Creams

Getting adequate sleep prevents premature aging. Perhaps that's why so many high-profile politicians have been spotted practicing this beauty ritual.

Vice president Joe Biden dozes during a recent budget speech.

It's lights out for former President Bill Clinton during a Martin Luther King Day speech.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney catches up on his beauty sleep during a meeting with former President George W. Bush.

Sen. John McCain counts a few sheep during a State of the Union address.

Night creams can also turn back the harsh hands of time--sans public humiliation. In honor of National Better Sleep Month, check out the latest multitasking formulations.

BEAUTY: B. Kamins, Chemist Night Cream contains vitamins A and E, and apricot oil, to repair and restore the skin's moisture balance. BEACON: No animal testing. Also supports PJs For the Cure and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. 

BEAUTY: Burt's Bees Radiance Night Creme utilizes almond oil and Royal Jelly, which is made of nectar, pollen, flower parts, vitamins and minerals, to replenish and refresh the skin. BEACON: Supports The Greater Good Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.

BEAUTY: Murad Age Reform Sleep Reform Serum contains peptides and algae extracts to help increase collagen production and firm the texture of the skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Also supports and sponsors animal rescue groups and oceanographic teaching institutions. 

BEAUTY: H2O Plus Sea Results Deep Sleep Recovery Serum utilizes peptides, retinol and marine extracts to hydrate the skin and soften the appearance of expression lines. BEACON: No animal testing.