Sleep deprivation can lead to a number of physical and mental conditions—or make existing health issues worse. But does lack of sleep cause acne? It can!
Here's everything you need to know about how poor sleep affects your skin and what you can do if you're seeing acne breakouts and not getting enough shut-eye.
Does Sleep Impact Your Skin?
Wondering if lack of sleep can cause breakouts? It absolutely can. Sleep plays a major role in skin health and the development of acne. Various hormones rise and fall during different stages of the sleep cycle, including growth hormone, cortisol, testosterone, and melatonin.
These hormones affect your skin. When you don't get enough sleep, it can lead to inflammation that causes or worsens numerous skin conditions. This includes acne vulgaris, atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis, rosacea, and pemphigus (painful blisters).
Can Acne Be Caused By a Lack of Sleep?
Yes. Lack of sleep can cause acne breakouts. Poor sleep quality is associated with worse acne among adults.
But exactly how does lack of sleep cause acne and other skin issues? Keep reading for insight.
The Science Behind Sleep and Acne
Sleep is essential for healthy biological functioning. The CDC recommends adults get seven to nine hours a night, and if you regularly log less than that, it could throw many bodily processes out of whack.
Restorative sleep supports hormone regulation, controls sebum production, and promotes healing. Conversely, insufficient sleep can wreak havoc on your skin, potentially leading to a greasy complexion, clogged pores, pimples, or cystic acne. In some cases, hormonal insomnia may occur in individuals who suffer from a hormonal imbalance.
Impact of Sleep on Hormone Levels
As mentioned, getting enough shut-eye helps your hormones stay in check. And sleep deprivation can elevate stress levels, which can lead to a spike in cortisol (also known as "the stress hormone").
A rise in cortisol levels can result in inflammation and mess with the immune system, both of which can bring about skin issues—acne included. Too much cortisol can make your skin overproduce sebum (the oily stuff that clogs pores), leading to pimples and acne breakout problems.
Other Key Factors Affecting Acne
Sleep is undoubtedly important when it comes to skin health. But aside from sleep habits, what else affects your skin and contributes to acne? Lots of things, potentially.
Other key factors affecting acne:
- Diet and nutrition. For instance, eating too much over-processed foods filled with trans fats and sugar could negatively impact the state of your skin. It’s also important to avoid high glycemic foods if you want to prevent acne. On the flip side, noshing in more fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and lean proteins might give you a glowier complexion with fewer breakouts.
- Chronic stress. As noted, stress can interfere with your hormones, especially when it's severe and ongoing. Chronic stress can impact your skin, whether it's due to a demanding job, an unrelentingly busy schedule, relationship problems, or family issues. So finding healthy ways to manage it is crucial.
- Skincare. Your skincare routine (or lack thereof) plays a big role in how your skin looks and behaves. But skincare doesn't have to be anything fancy to ward off acne. A gentle cleanser, a pH-balancing toner, a lightweight non-comedogenic moisturizer, and mineral sunscreen are a great start.
- Hygiene. Poor physical hygiene can lead to breakouts. Sweat, product buildup, dirt, dead skin cells, and makeup can all clog your pores, so be sure to shower regularly and wash your face before heading to bed. Unclogging your pores is key if you want to stave off annoying breakouts in the future. Sleeping with a clean, silk, or satin pillowcase might help too.
When Is the Best Time to Sleep to Prevent Acne?
The best time to go to sleep to prevent acne depends on what time you get up. As mentioned, most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night for overall well-being, including healthy skin. So if you wake up at 6am and are aiming for eight hours, you'll want to be asleep by 10pm.
But that doesn't mean you should climb into bed at 10pm if it takes you a little while to doze off, you might want to start your bedtime routine an hour or so earlier. This could include turning down the lights, putting screens away, and reading a book.
Good Habits to Minimize Acne Breakouts
Does lack of sleep cause acne? In some cases, yes.
Beyond getting your beauty sleep, you can make several lifestyle tweaks to help prevent acne, improve your complexion, and maintain clear skin. This might include eating more nutrient-rich foods, managing stress levels, starting a simple skincare routine, and practicing good hygiene.
Supplements might help, too, like our MINDBODYSKIN® hormonal acne supplement. This thoughtfully formulated product contains key ingredients that work to detoxify the liver, regulate hormones, reduce inflammation, support the skin barrier, and control oil production.
If you think a hormonal imbalance is to blame for your breakouts, consider ordering our acne lab test.
Sources:
Afzal UM and Ali FR. Sleep deprivation and the skin. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. Accessed on July 31, 2024.
Schrom KP, et al. (2019). Acne Severity and Sleep Quality in Adults. Clocks & Sleep. Accessed on July 31, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (n.d.). About Sleep. Accessed on July 31, 2024.
Zari S and Alrahmani D. (2017). The association between stress and acne among female medical students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. Accessed on July 31, 2024.
