Sleep is essential for healthy skin. Not enough quality sleep will make your skin look tired and older, especially with bags under your eyes. Poor quality sleep can become a vicious cycle because lack of sleep makes you irritable, anxious and depressed, and that makes it harder to get good sleep. Make sure you have plenty of physical exercise as this reduces stress and creates a healthy tiredness that helps sleep. Yoga and swimming are also good ways to improve sleep. Aerobic exercise increases the oxygen circulating in your body which helps the skin stay vibrant and healthy. Here are some more tips for getting a good night's sleep Try to keep to a regular routine at bedtime. Have a warm bath to relax you. Learn how to put aside the "worry list" that is in your head: write it down, keep a pencil and pad of paper by your bed. Get a relaxation tape: don't watch TV late at night or in bed as this can stimulate rather than relax you. Avoid eating a heavy meal late at night. Try to eat your last food for the day 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. Drink plenty of water during the day rather than toward bedtime. If you wake in the night get up and do something distracting until you are sleepy again rather than toss and turn and worry in bed. Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. It should be a haven of peace and not a den of noise and stimulation. Keep an eye mask and ear plugs handy. Avoid stimulants like caffeine and nicotine in the evenings: drink chamomile tea rather than cocoa to induce sleep at bedtime (but not too much or you will be up in the night for the toilet). .
