Whether you’re a kid or a parent, we all understand the struggle of getting a good night’s sleep. Between school, extracurriculars, and homework galore, finding time to catch up on your favorite Netflix show AND get to bed early can feel pretty tricky. So before you press play on that next episode, please keep reading to know how it could impact your skin.
How Sleeping Habits Can Affect Kid Skin
You might already know lots of kids’ skincare tips for keeping skin fresh, clean, and glowing, from washing your face in the morning to trying out a new skincare mask during a sleepover with your bestie. But, did you know that the most fantastic thing you could do for your skin is getting enough ZZZ’s every night or taking a nap when you’re tired? Our bodies are always working, especially when we’re asleep.
Children and tweens are still growing, so having healthy sleeping habits is crucial for their mind, body, and skin, not to mention their mood. Parents, we’re sure you can agree with us on that one. So don’t entirely abandon your kid’s skincare routine after getting them a good night’s sleep, but let them know how important their beauty rest is.
What Does a Lack of Sleep Do to Kids’ Skin?
Losing out on sleep can cause more than just a sassy kid. Poor sleeping habits will leave the skin suffering too.
A lack of sleep can contribute to:
- swollen eyes and dark circles
- slower skin recovery time
- acne
- more wrinkles in the future
Swollen and Tired Eyes
Everyone has felt the struggle of barely being able to keep their eyes open in the morning. When you’re super tired, your eyes can feel swollen shut. You should be able to ease puffiness with a splash of refreshing water and a good cleanse, but you can avoid the issue altogether by getting enough sleep every night.
Kids shouldn’t worry about dark circles, but as they grow into tweens and teens, we’re sure they’ll inevitably start to. Teach them young that their beauty will shine from within when they value good sleeping habits.
Slower Recovery from Skin Issues
While you’re sleeping, it’s your skin’s time to rejuvenate, heal, and replenish itself. When you don’t give yourself enough time to rest, your skin can’t do its job! Things like sunburns, dry patches, and other skin issues may take longer to heal when you’re not sleeping enough.
Increased Acne
Starting to get acne is the best part of being a kid, are we right? If your child struggles with acne, their lack of sleep might be contributing to it. Typically, people who have reported poor sleep quality are more likely to have worse kids’ skincare issues like acne. Fatigue, when you wake up, is also heavily associated with acne.
Premature Aging in the Future
Being a kid is a time to have fun with friends, learn, and explore, not stress about getting wrinkles. Knowing that losing sleep can affect your skin later on is just one more reason to stay well-rested. Developing healthy sleeping habits now will benefit kids for the rest of their lives.
Positive Effects of Healthy Sleeping Habits on the Skin
Now that you know the dangers of missing out on sleep, what happens when you get enough rest? While you’re asleep, your body and skin are working to repair themselves.
If you’re giving yourself enough time to replenish fully, your sleeping habits will:
- protect your skin
- help you glow
- produce new collagen in your skin
- clear your pores
Protecting Your Skin with Sleep
We know that losing sleep can leave the skin more exposed and vulnerable to the environment. When you’re fully rested and ready to go, your skin will feel the same. The effects of UV rays, dirt, and oil throughout the day will be less harsh because your skin has the time to prepare for them.
Glowing Skin
Who doesn’t want their skin to look radiant all day? Let your moisturizer sink in before your head hits the pillow, and we guarantee you’ll be a glowing god or goddess from morning until night. Parents, if your child has dry skin, their sleeping habits should be a big priority since sleep will bring natural, healthy oils to the surface that their face needs.
Increased Collagen Production
Kids need to be completing each sleep stage every night. During the third and fourth restorative cycles of sleep, the skin’s blood flow increases, and the oxygen rebuilds collagen. Collagen is a natural protein within our bodies that is amazing for keeping skin smooth, soft, and supple. Getting a full night’s rest will help your skin produce the amount of collagen it needs to stay healthy.
Clear, Clean Pores
Clogged pores and lousy sleeping habits go hand in hand. In addition to a solid kids’ skincare routine, you need to get enough sleep for clear pores. Even when you wash your face before bed, oil and dirt can persist if you don’t give yourself enough time to rest. When you get a full night of beauty rest, your pores will be clear and free to breathe.
How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?
Parents and kids know that sleep is super important, but how much are you supposed to get? Every kid is different, so you should always listen to your body and possibly your attitude’s cues to know when it’s time for bed. Most doctors recommend getting at least eight to nine hours of snooze time to create a good sleeping habit.
If your child struggles to fall asleep at night or get a good night’s rest, a sleep tracking app could benefit them. It’s a good idea to track sleeping habits since staying consistent helps you feel like your best self. Several apps, like Sleep Cycle, can soothe you to sleep with music or sounds, track your sleeping habits, and wake up softly in the morning.
Nighttime Skincare Routine
Kids, we totally get that playing Among Us or watching Charli D’amelio might be your ideal way to chill out before bed, but staying up on your electronics won’t set you up for a good night’s sleep. Wind down with a relaxing kids’ skincare routine that will benefit your skin and promote good sleeping habits.
You can help your skin thrive in a few short and simple ways:
- cleanser
- spot treatment
- moisturizer
1. Cleanser for Kids’ Skincare
There’s no better feeling than washing away the oil and dirt from your face after a long day. A gentle cleanse will allow your skin to breathe and have a clean slate when you’re sleeping. Plus, a cleanser is a must if you want to feel the full effects of your other kids’ skincare products.
Parents, if your child’s skin is sensitive and they want to soothe it at night, the Kidskin gentle skin cleanser is a great choice. It’s hydrating and refreshing for all skin types, and the foamy consistency provides the ultimate cleanse. Using this cleanser for your kid’s skincare every night will help them maintain an even complexion and avoid breakouts.
Kids with oily skin or acne could reap some significant benefits from tea tree oil. Our t-blast foaming cleanser uses the ingredient to target stubborn breakouts and stop growing ones at the source. This cleanser absorbs oil without drying out the skin. Plus, the fresh, natural scent of tea tree oil will be so soothing and help them relax, which can help form fantastic sleeping habits.
2. Acne Spot Treatment
Getting acne can be pretty frustrating, but it’s a totally normal part of life. Even the Ziegler sisters wake up with zits sometimes. While you will need to be kind and patient to your skin and let acne heal, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. When your kids’ skincare routine is solid and your sleeping habits are good, you’re already ahead of the game.
If the stubborn zit on your chin won’t go away, even after days of leaving it alone and keeping up with your kids’ skincare routine, a spot treatment might help you out. Spot treatments are most beneficial at night since it gives the product time to sink in fully without being affected by the outside environment. But remember, you should identify the type of acne you have before you try a new treatment.
The Kidskin spot treatment has salicylic acid, an ingredient that exfoliates the skin and unclogs pores. Note: You should always make sure to apply your spot treatment before you moisturize since it can tend to dry out the problem area you are targeting.
3. Relaxing Moisturizer
Moisturizer is the final step that will send you off to bed with a smooth and clean face. Even though cleanser and spot treatment can be fantastic for kids’ skincare, they might leave your face feeling a bit tight and stiff. Bring your skin’s natural oils back to the surface with a gentle moisturizer.
Parents, if your child has sensitive skin, the Kidskin gentle moisturizer will be the perfect way to help them wind down before bed. If they are more prone to dryness and acne, our calming moisturizer might be their jam. Both of these products are lightweight, non-greasy, and breathable on the skin.
Parents, when you go with Kidskin for your kid’s skincare needs, you can guarantee they are using healthy and non-abrasive products. We don’t use parabens, fragrance, sulfate, or gluten ingredients. Not to throw shade on other skincare brands, but some promote harsh chemicals for kids and tweens that no beauty rest can fight.
Ways to Enhance Your Sleep and Skincare Routine
Once parents and kids realize that sleep and skincare go hand in hand, you can work together to build a routine that will be relaxing, healing, and rejuvenating. Everyone has different wants, needs, and regimens for kids’ skincare. Finding small ways to personalize your routine will help you wake up with clear skin and a smile on your face.
Some things you can do to improve skin and sleeping habits are:
- Wash your bedding and pillowcases regularly.
- Sleep on your back or with a special pillowcase.
- Elevate your head during sleep.
- Stay out of the sun while you’re sleeping.
- Create a cozy sleep environment.
Wash Your Bedding!
It’s not something many people think about, but the surfaces you sleep on have a significant impact on our skin. Your face is against the pillowcase, sheets, and blankets for (ideally) at least eight hours every night. If you’ve ever snuck a snack into bed, we’re mainly talking to you.
Parents, make sure that you’re using a laundry detergent that is gentle and free of harmful ingredients. Sleep is time for the skin to breathe and recover itself; it can’t do that if chemicals are suffocating the face. It’s recommended that you wash all your bedding at least once a week.
Sleep on Your Back or Skincare Pillowcase
Although keeping your pillows and blankets clean is a great place to start, the rough material on many bedding can be damaging for the skin. Kids who struggle with acne might still experience breakouts even though it’s clean sheet night. If you sleep on your back, you can guarantee that your skin is getting the space it needs to be its healthiest self.
Kids aren’t necessarily ones to pick one spot and stay there all night. If your child tosses and turns all night long, get them special pillowcases for clear skin. Cotton and other materials can smother the face and clog pores.
On the other hand, silk and satin are amazing for letting the skin breathe and get to work overnight. Silk pillowcases are also remarkable for the hair. Satin is a more affordable option than silk but will still do wonders for your clear complexion and luscious locks.
Keep Your Head Elevated While Sleeping
This kids’ skincare tip might seem a little strange, but we promise you won’t regret trying it. Keeping your head propped up will help with nasal drip, acid reflux, and snoring. Any issue that disturbs the quality of your sleep disturbs your skin because it’s interrupting the healing process.
You can elevate your head by simply using an extra pillow. Parents, you can also add a wedge to their mattress or prop the head of the bed up by a few inches. This method will not only help promote good sleeping habits but will also help skin stay clear and refreshed.
Don’t Sleep in the Sun
If your bed is right in front of a big window, it might be time to get some black-out curtains. If your current sleeping habits include resting with your face exposed to the sun for too long, it can be just as bad as going outside without sunscreen. Plus, who wants their precious sleep interrupted on a Saturday morning because the sun decided to start shining in their face?
Who knew there was more to kids’ skincare than just washing your face? Now that you know how important sleep is for your skin, hopefully, you’ll press pause and resume your show in the morning instead. Sweet dreams!