For years, I’ve heard people say things about needing their “beauty sleep” and how it’s the ultimate hack to glowing skin. Supposedly, nine hours of sleep (with a silk pillowcase for your hair) will have us waking up looking refreshed and ready for the day. You see, I tried that and slept like a rock, only to wake up looking like a zombie with the same old bags under my eyes. My skin didn’t transform overnight, and I definitely wasn’t impressed.
I don’t know who started this saying about beauty sleep, but I have some questions for them. I’m aware that science has said sleep is important for your health and energy, even repairing and regenerating skin cells. However, it certainly doesn’t get rid of the stressful week I experienced, my poor diet or those times I’ve bawled like a baby over a sad scene in a book I was reading. I think the idea that I’ll wake up refreshed and looking radiant isn’t guaranteed by any means, simply because my alarm didn’t go off after six hours.
It seems we’ve been sold that a good routine is all you need to look beautiful, including plenty of sleep, face creams and masks. Let’s be honest: that’s not always true. Real beauty comes from how we treat ourselves every day. It comes from making better dietary decisions, moving our bodies and taking time for ourselves to stretch out and relax. It’s earned through the small choices we make.
Sleep helps, yes, but it can’t replace the benefits of what some sunscreen, proper hydration or even being kinder to yourself could do. If someone tells you that sleeping more will erase dark circles, smile politely and walk away. If someone says sleeping will make your skin perfect, remember that it’s not a promise.
I’ve learned to stop depending on sleep alone. I try to drink more water and focus on small things that make me feel good. That’s where beauty comes from. It’s messy, lived and human, and maybe the real trick is realizing that we are already beautiful, even when we look tired.
