When you’re not getting enough sleep during the night, you’ll find yourself feeling sluggish and sleepy all day at the office. Improving your sleep habits can help you work and function better all day long. Learn how sleep can do everything from boost the way your products work to help your skin to repair itself. Then, check out our list of tips for sleeping more soundly.

How sleep saves skin

The concept of “beauty sleep” isn’t an oldwives’ tale. Experts say sleep does affect your skin and brings a bounty of beauty benefits.

• Sleep increases skincare’s efficacy. Vitamins, retinoids and other ingredients lose potency after exposure to sunlight, rendering them less effective. Because there’s no sunlight at night, the product’s “anti-aging ingredients stay active longer,” according to Prevention. Consequently, they might provide more effective anti-aging benefits for your skin.
• Sleep promotes cell turnover. Cell regeneration is the process in which fresh, new skin cells replace old, dead cells. This happens more quickly at night compared to daytime, Alex Khadavi, M.D., associate dermatology professor at the University of Southern California, tells Prevention.
• Sleep cleans up daily damage. During the day, skin is bombarded with UV rays, pollution and other harmful environmental elements. These culprits can cause damage like dehydration, lines, wrinkles and sun spots. At night, skin repairs itself to reverse this harm.

Using an antioxidant-rich night cream boosts this repair process. “If the night’s work is done more efficiently, the skin is better able to protect itself the next day,” Lise Jorgensen, vice president of global product development for Estèe Lauder, tells Notebook. Help your skin reach its protective potential with BABOR Advanced Biogen Night Cream . Loaded with antioxidants and moisturizers, it hydrates, encourages cell renewal and helps achieve a glowing complexion.

Tips for a good night’s sleep

Many factors are crucial for getting enough sleep. Get started with these tips the National Sleep Foundation to get you started:

• Create a sleep-friendly environment. This involves creating a space that’s dark, cool and free from distractions – yes, that includes the TV and laptop, which stimulate the brain and prevent you from winding down.
• Leave work out. You want to designate your bedroom as a place for rest and relaxation, so taking in work materials only sabotages your sleep. For many of us work also can be anxiety provoking, which inhibits rest.
• Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Try a medium-firm mattress, which promotes greater comfort and better sleep than a firm mattress, according to Ladies’ Home Journal. It’s especially ideal for people with shoulder and back problems. Also, keep in mind that a good mattress lasts about nine to 10 years, so it’s a worthwhile investment.
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Though it’s tough to keep a consistent schedule, particularly on the weekends when we love to catch up on sleep, it’s an important part of fostering healthy sleep habits.
• Take a warm bath. A soothing soak helps your mind and body unwind after a long, stressful day. Don’t use hot water – it’ll dry your skin and zap natural oils. Instead, use warm water with a moisturizing bath gel like Pevonia Nymphea Essential Oil Bath & Shower Gel , which contains calming lavender and chamomile to relax the body along with essential oils to keep skin hydrated.
• Read a book or listen to relaxing music. These kinds of activities right before bed are “an automatic cue to become sleepy, making it more likely that you’ll fall asleep,” notes Janis Graham in Ladies’ Home Journal.
• Don’t eat right before bedtime. If it’s possible, finish eating several hours before you plan on going to sleep. It’s okay to eat a light snack if you tend to get hungry right before bed.
• Don’t smoke. Because cigarettes and other tobacco products are stimulants, they lead to poor sleep. (Another reason to avoid them: cigarettes are bad for your skin, causing dehydration and wrinkles.)
• Skip caffeine. Caffeine in coffee, tea, soda and even chocolate can disturb your sleep, so skip that afternoon coffee at the office – you might want to cut out caffeine as early as 1 or 2 p.m. if you have a hard time falling asleep at night. On the other hand, a cup of herbal tea, such as chamomile, can promote relaxation.
• Say no to alcohol. While a glass of wine might relax you or make you drowsy at first, it can lead to disrupted sleep later in the night.

The morning after

Even with a conscious effort to get plenty of sleep, sometimes it just won’t happen. Maybe you have a hard time falling asleep, or you spend the night tossing and turning. Whatever the reason, your face will reveal all that exhaustion. For those mornings when your skin is looking less than luminous and rejuvenated, here are several products to replenish and revitalize tired-looking skin before work.

• Wash your face to get going in the morning. Wake up your senses with a citrusy cleanser like Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser , which features invigorating bursting beads and an energizing scent.
• Apply a quick pick-me-up to tired eyes. Cellex-C Under Eye Toning Gel minimizes telltale signs of a long night: puffiness, swelling and dark circles. Add Dr. Michelle Copeland Ageless Under Eye Concealer to hide dark circles, reduce lines and add moisture.
• Add a pop of color to dull, sallow cheeks. Apply Colorescience Retractable Blusher Brush - Apple Of My Eye for a flattering, natural pink hue.

So the next time you’re tempted to skimp on sleep, remember the beauty benefits brought on by a good night’s rest. Not only will you feel restored and perform better at work, but you’ll also look healthier from head to toe.

Learn everything you need to know about workplace beauty and skincare for a professional lifestyle in our Office Beauty Handbook.