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The Easiest Anti-Aging Remedy Ever

It's in your house. And you can do it naked
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Lack of sleep is like a hangover for your skin that never goes away.
When you don't get enough sleep, your skin doesn't have a chance to kick into catabolysis -- the renewal mode that happens while you're sleeping. "This is when cells remove and recycle cell debris," says Yarosh. "It peaks at night while you're sleeping, and it's a natural process that's necessary for skin health." Think of it this way: if a tile in your bathroom floor cracks, you have to remove the broken tile, throw it away, and replace it with a new one. Similarly, free radicals can damage pieces of a skin cell, and your cell has to remove the damaged piece and repair it -- that's catabolysis.

And catabolysis is key for calming inflammation -- think: sunburn and puffiness. The Skin Study Center's research found that when the sleep-deprived women were sunburned, their skin stayed red for 72 hours -- two days more than the good sleepers. "Poor sleepers hold onto inflammation longer," says Baron.

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Dream creams amp up your skin's repair cycle.
There is no substitute for good quality sleep, period. But there are products that work in tandem with and boost the natural renewal process that happens while you're sleeping. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, $62, now contains Chronolux CB, a peptide complex that tricks your skin cells into thinking they're sleeping, which activates renewal mode (a.k.a. catabolysis).

Sleeping masks are a big trend in skin care right now. If you your skin is especially dry or dull in the morning, the right sleep mask at bedtime can help your other nighttime skin care products work even better by preventing them from evaporating (i.e. transepidermal water loss). A few of our favorites: Dr. Jart Water Fuse Watermax Sleeping Mask, $34, is a gel with a fantastic cooling effect. And Korres Greek Yogurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial, $45, contains actual Greek yogurt for intense hydration.

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Even if you sleep it off on Saturday, booze wrecks your sleep pattern.
A drink or two may help you fall asleep, but even if you get the recommended eight hours, alcohol can mess with a crucial stage of sleep, says Matthew Mingrone, M.D., lead physician at the EOS Sleep Center in California.

There are five stages we experience in sleep, and each one lasts about an hour and a half. Stage one is transitional -- when you go from being awake to being asleep. Stage two is marked by high brain activity, and your body temperature starts to drop -- it's also when catabolysis (skin renewal) generally peaks. Stage three is the transition between light sleep and deep sleep. Stage four is sometimes called delta sleep -- it's a deep sleep that lasts for 30 minutes. And finally, stage five is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when your muscles become more relaxed but your brain becomes more active.

While the importance of REM sleep isn't fully understood, most scientists believe your brain forms memories during this stage. And lack of REM sleep has been linked to depression. But here's the real punch line: the less REM sleep you get, the more tired you feel in the morning.

Sleep experts think alcohol can cause stage four to last longer, which curbs the amount of quality REM sleep you get. "Even one to two drinks before bed could throw you off," says Mingrone. "The longer the time between your last drink and hitting the pillow, the better. "

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Yet another reason to dodge carbs, crankypants.
"Carbohydrates are sugars, which can throw your body into a state of inflammation," says Migrone. When you eat something carb-heavy before bed, your body metabolizes it quickly, and then your blood sugar drops while you're sleeping -- which may even wake you up. Migrone suggests having a protein snack like a handful of nuts or a small scoop of cottage cheese, which will be metabolized gradually.

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Jaime Lannister is terrible in bed.
Yes, you want to stay up and watch Jaime "woo" Queen Ceresei in a few more episodes of "Game of Thrones," but the light and electricity coming from your TV can keep you up long after you hit "off" on your remote. "Artificial light prohibits melatonin production, which is necessary for sleep," says Migrone. " You should turn off electronics two hours before bed. Keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet."

Want to prevent wrinkles? Wear sunscreen. Want to fight the lines and spots you already have? Try retinol. Blah, blah, blah. You've heard this advice a million times before.

Which is why you'll be excited to learn that scientists have discovered a new anti-ager -- and it doesn't come in a tube. In fact, it's free, easy, and something you're doing anyway: it's sleep.

It's no secret that you look better -- younger, even -- after a good night's sleep. And the opposite is true, as well. Just think of the telltale signs of sleep deprivation written all over the face of any new mother: dark circles, puffiness, wrinkles … you know the drill.

Up until now, scientists haven't connected the dots between lack of sleep and lackluster skin. While the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has declared lack of sleep a national epidemic, contributing to health issues like obesity and heart disease, a new study out of Case Medical Center in Ohio delves into the hows and whys of sleep deprivation and its affect on your skin.

But don't let this news keep you up at night. We've got nine tips that will transform the way you sleep. And we're not talking about snooze-fest guidelines like eating better and working out more. From products that trick your skin into thinking you're getting more sleep to the midnight snack that's actually good for you, you'll be getting a better night's sleep … stat!
BY DAWN DAVIS | AUG 12, 2013 | SHARES
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