Sleep Deprivation and Acne: How Late Nights Trigger Breakouts

Introduction

Whether it’s late night exam prep, a hunger rush watching a movie late in the evening, you come home late from a night-out or get lost gaming until 4:00 AM. Too tired to wash your face, you crash straight onto your pillow with a day's worth of pollution, sweat, and makeup still on your skin. These all-nighters not only exhausts you mentally but also is one of the main reasons behind those stubbornly annoying and painful to manage breakouts on your skin. Let’s dive deeper to understand the science behind acne due to sleep deprivation.

Common reasons for being a night owl

• Anxiety and Overthinking due to Stress --Stressful episodes are very normal to happen in our everyday life and we often end up reminiscing about it at the end of the day which troubles the state of our mind. It not only disturbs our sleep but also decreases our freshness and productivity for the next day. 
• Hormonal Fluctuations--Fluctuations with the cortisol and melatonin (hormone secreted by pineal gland in the brain that regulates the sleep-wake cycle) levels in the body can disrupt our normal sleep schedule. It needs medical attention. 
• Exam Prep--Pulling an all-nighter, when most students feel  least disturbances from noise and maximum productivity in cramming their syllabus but also makes their next day sleepy and exhausted.
• Night Shift Working--Many employees have to work the night shifts which is common with the Multinational Companies (MNCs). Their screen time during the normal sleep time damages their circadian rhythm. 
• Late Caffeine or Nicotine Consumption--Increases the frequency of waking up at nights and gets difficulty in attaining deep sleep. It also causes imbalance in the levels of sleep inducing chemicals inside our body. 
• Binge Watching Series--Late night binge watching shows on screens for longer hours can make your eyes heavily strained and the appearance of dark circles will make your skin dull and tired.
• Doom-scrolling--Losing the track of time while doomscrolling on your mobile phones can take up a lot of your precious sleep time.
• Medical Condition--Secondary insomnia can be caused due to body ache, acid reflux, respiratory problems, menopause, post traumatic stress disorder and many more. 
• Excessive Daytime Napping--Napping too long or too late in the day takes away your motivation to sleep at night. 

How does sleep affect skin?

Sleep deprivation for a longer period of time can lead to more hanging eyelids, redder eyes, swollen eyes, darker circles under the eyes, paler skin, more wrinkles/fine lines, and droopy corners of the mouth. Lack of sleep triggers a cascade of hormonal fluctuation, inflammation and damage to the skin’s protective barrier. Thus, sleep affects skin in many ways.

Hormonal Fluctuation 

When there’s prolonged sleep deprivation, the body exerts a biological stress on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis, which triggers the initiation of stress coping mechanism with the release of ‘Cortisol’ from adrenal glands in the body. This cortisol stimulates the receptors of the sebaceous glands of the skin to secrete sebum. If produced in excess, this sebum can clog the pores and make skin oily and acne-prone.

Inflammation

When this cortisol release is triggered in excess due to longer duration of no sleep, it results in activation of inflammatory mediators. Inflammation could also be triggered by proliferation of pathogenic microbes like Cutibacterium acnes. 

Damaged Skin Barrier

All this leads to impaired skin barrier function due to clogged pores and poor skin health. Over-growth of acne-causing microbes results in increased rate of metabolism of sebum to produce skin-barrier disrupting chemical substances which irritate the skin and further aggravate acne. 

How to prevent these late nights pimples ?

In order to break away this vicious loop of lack of sleep acne and acne to stress, you need to incorporate regular and consistent cleansing with the best anti-acne ingredients in your skin care ritual to fight the acne. Look out for the composition of the skin care products on the label behind the bottle and its profile on effectiveness, quality and safety for acne-prone skin. It will give you a better idea on what product you should choose and incorporate to your skin care regime. Consult a dermatologist or a skincare expert for assessment of your skin health in severe cases to get better product recommendations for your skin. 

It needs the following strategies and care to prevent and manage breakouts due to lack of sleep:

• Removal of Impurities
• Sebum Regulation
• Unclogging of Pores
• Anti-Microbial Action
• Skin Calming Effect

What Can You Do To Manage Sleep And Acne?

Bringing small changes to your routine can help you improve the skin condition from dull to fresh and manage lack of sleep acne. Some tips and tricks are mentioned below:

• Set a strict bedtime and follow it consistently to improve your circadian rhythm.
• Use Blue Light Filters for all your devices with longer screen time to reduce eye strain and improve sleep quality.
• Change pillowcases frequently to prevent oil and microbial buildup.
• Control your Binge culture as it gradually makes your skin dull, appearance of dark circles and bloated feeling the next day. 
• Refrain from artificial fragrances on bedding that may affect sensitive and tired sleep skin. 
• Sanitise your cell and possessions so they can’t pass impurities onto your complexion.
• Apply your skincare at least 1 hr before sleep, so it works on the skin and not to your pillow cases. 
• Relax and de-stress using some meditation/yoga practice. 
• Stick to your usual cleaning routine and maintain your hygiene standards.

How Does The Alite’s Anti-Acne Face Wash Become A Game-Changer To Fight Late Night Pimples?

Alite’s Anti-Acne Face Wash has various anti-acne agents that improve the skin condition in their own ways. Certain key ingredients of the Alite’s Anti-Acne Face Wash are mentioned below with their mechanism of action to fight all-nighter triggered breakouts on the skin:

Ceraskin P (Ceramide III)

Improves the normal barrier function of the skin. 

Activated Charcoal Sebum Control Enzyme

Obtained from the Gallotannins and Ellagitannins of meadowsweet (Spiraea ulmaria extract). It reduces the activity of the sebaceous glands by inhibiting the activity of 5α-reductase.

Charcoal Milliglobules

Removes excess impurities, oil and dirt from the skin. Helps control oily sheen and give a matte appearance. Stops acne by preventing blockage of the pores.

Aloe Vera

Has allantoin which is a phytochemical that promotes the healing of skin. A good soothing and hydrating agent for the skin. Reduces inflammation of the active breakouts. 

In short, Alite’s Anti-Acne Face Wash is a wonderful choice to manage acne effectively as it has the following benefits:

• Oil-Control
• Fades Dark Spots
• Soothes The Skin
• Mild and Gentle
• Reduces Sebum Production
• Intense Cleansing

What Skincare Routine Should Be Followed For Better Results ?

For fighting these pesky zits and dark spots after breakouts which may show up overnight with sleep deprivation need a proper skin care regimen. 

A consistent and gentle regular Cleanser for oil-control and unclogging of the pores is crucial to maintain skin hygiene. It should remove all the trapped impurities from the skin. 

Alite’s Anti-Acne Face Wash penetrates the pores of the skin to dissolve trapped oils, regulates sebum production with charcoal milliglobules and activated charcoal sebum control enzyme, soap-free and gentle for daily use. 

Here are the steps to follow while cleansing your face in a safe and effective manner:

1. Start with Alite Anti Acne Face Wash
2. Wash your hands
3. Take a small amount of face wash onto your hands
4. Massage onto the face
5. Gently lather
6. Rinse well with water
7. Pat dry with a clean towel

Points To Consider

Hot Water

Use of hot water can render your skin dry and prone to flushing of cheeks. So, it’s advisable to use lukewarm water for face cleansing. 

Aggressive Rubbing

Do not rub your face like sandpaper. Massage the lather of the face wash gently over your face for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then rinse it off.

Ingredients to Avoid

Some common examples of ingredients which you need to avoid are as follows:

• Sulphates / SLS - heavy forming harsh surface active agent.
• Parabens - endocrine disrupting chemicals generally used as preservatives
• Denatured Alcohol - Dries the skin and may cause rebound oil production.

Missing Moisturizer

Not using a hydrating and non-comedogenic moisturizer can leave your skin dry and unmoisturized. It can also trigger excess sebum production for lubrication and worsen the acne. 

Traditional soaps

High alkaline soaps (pH 9-10)  are not meant for your skin’s natural protective acid mantle. It can disrupt the defensive mechanism of the skin leaving it irritated and inflamed. Instead, look for a slightly acidic (pH 4.5-5.5) skin-friendly face cleanser. 

Detailed Summary

Late-night habits are sometimes the very cause behind skin problems especially acne, as they don’t let you have  enough sleep. Stress, fluctuating hormones, late-night studies for exams, night shifts, untimely intake of caffeine or nicotine, late-night movie binges, scrolling social media until late at night, certain medical conditions, oversleeping during the day -the causes are many. The ill effects of sleep deprivation are quite noticeable: puffier, red eyes, dark circles around the eyes, paler complexion, wrinkle formation, and extra oiliness of the skin thanks to hormonal imbalances. 

When you don’t sleep enough, your cortisol levels shoot up, stimulating the over-production of sebum and eventually leading to clogged pores and acne. Cortisol also causes inflammation, which can further compromise the integrity of your skin barrier and invite the growth of micro-organisms which feed upon oils and contribute to more breakouts. The best way out is to make a skin care routine and follow it consistently.

Cleanse your face on a regular basis, stick to anti-acne ingredients, consult a dermatologist in case of more persistent acne. Always maintain these five steps of skincare: purify, control oil, unblock the pores, take control of the micro-organism, and make skin calmer. 

Other methods include creating a sleeping schedule, using screen guards with blue light filters, using clean pillow covers, breaking up your long movie session and building a proper hygiene routine. 

With Alite Anti-Acne Face Wash, you can combat acne efficiently with the combined action of Ceramide III, activated charcoal and aloe vera which control the production of oil and offer a soothing effect. Your routine should ideally start with Alite’s gently formulated cleanser. Steer clear of harmful ingredients such as sulfates and parabens. Always remember to follow it up with a moisturiser to maintain skin hydration and prevent the excess production of sebum.