Experts say all anti-aging routines are meaningless without one secret ingredient – ​​and it costs nothing

It can brighten your under eyes, de-emphasize wrinkles, rebuild collagen and repair UV damage.

It repairs and revitalizes the skin barrier to keep environmental stressors out and moisture in.

The best part: It’s not nearly as expensive as other anti-aging products — in fact, it’s free.

While your bathroom counter may be littered with retinol, acids, and serums that promise to “turn back the clock of aging,” the real anti-aging super ingredient is beauty sleep.

Many people may not consider sleep an important part of their skin care arsenal and many don’t get the recommended eight hours a night, but cConstantly not getting enough sleep can have a huge impact on your beauty routine.

A lack of sleep results in higher levels of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone.

Increased cortisol levels can lead to premature sagging and wrinkles because it breaks down collagen, which works with other substances such as elastin to maintain skin volume, hydration and elasticity.

Dr. Quynh-Giao Sartor, a board-certified dermatologist in Houston, said: ‘During sleep, the body restores proteins such as collagen and elastin that repair and strengthen the skin. Good sleep quality gives the body more time to produce (elastin and collagen) at healthy levels.

‘When you are well rested, several benefits become visible on the skin, including fewer wrinkles, a brighter complexion and fewer bags or dark circles around the eyes. Conversely, continued sleep deprivation can accelerate skin aging, including sagging skin.”

One of the most common buzzwords in beauty and skin care is “anti-aging.” Trying to prevent the effects of time on the face is a $50 billion industry with an endless supply of new products and potions that target perceived problem areas, such as the forehead, the areas around the eyes where the skin is particularly vulnerable, around the mouth and neck.

But it takes more than a super strong retinol or lactic acid to tackle lines, dullness and sagging skin.

When the body ‘switches off’ for seven to nine hours, the hormone melatonin activates the skin’s repair mechanisms.

Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals that damage cells and cause them to age faster.

When there are more free radicals than antioxidants in the body, the resulting imbalance leads to oxidative stress, which can lead to cellular damage and is linked to several health problems, including aging, inflammation and the development of chronic diseases.

The hormone’s ability to combat oxidative stress makes it particularly powerful for reversing signs of sun damage, such as age spots.

Dr. Melanie Palm, a board-certified dermatologist in San Diego, shared Fashion: ‘This process helps prevent wrinkles, age spots, sagging skin and other signs of aging in the long term. That’s why it’s essential to get seven to nine hours of sleep per night and have a good daily rhythm. skin.’

The body also produces human growth hormone (HGH) which helps repair tissue damage during sleep.

HGH is a naturally occurring substance in the body produced by the pituitary gland and responsible for stimulating cell growth, reproduction and regeneration.

HGH secretion tends to peak during deep sleep as the body undergoes the process of repair and regeneration.

A person’s body produces less and less HGH with age.

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, an internist specializing in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and pain management, said NBC News: ‘Also known as the ‘Fountain of Youth’ hormone, optimizing growth hormone keeps us young.

‘It keeps our muscles tight and our skin at its full thickness. Think of it as a healthy facelift for your entire body, including face, breasts and abs.’

Healthy beauty sleep lasts between seven and nine hours. For the best beauty sleep, experts recommend turning off technology and sleeping in a dark, cool room, which allows for a natural drop in core body temperature as we prepare for sleep.