Dr Chytra V Anand: Do you look sleepy all the time? This is how your long and erratic work hours leave you: sleep deprived. While you chase sleep, a drowsy look remains plastered on the face for days. So what exactly happens to your skin when you are sleep deprived? There are many ways in which your body reacts to it. Decreased sleep leads to increased production of stress hormone, and when that is the case there is a breakdown of collagen, an important protein that gives firmness to the skin. The hyaluronic acid also starts to deplete. Hyaluronic acid helps the skin to hold moisture beneath the skin and encourages its retention, giving it elasticity and glow. When we sleep, the body rebalances the level of hydration. It absorbs the required moisture, and left-over water is separated for removal. The lack of it creates water imbalance in the body. The result of which is in the form of puffy eyes, under-eye circles, dryness, fine lines and wrinkles. Due to elevated levels of inflammation, the body’s immune system starts to function abnormally. This results in skin diseases like psoriasis and eczema. Sleep depravity also gives rise to pronounced signs of aging. The major impacts of this are fine lines and wrinkles over the face. While some new-age solutions such as dermal fillers and skinboosters can come to your aid, there is really no alternative to good sleep. These fillers and boosters contain hydrophilic substances that help absorption of moisture in the skin. When there is enough moisture available, the skin becomes stretchable and elastic. Unlike other cosmetic procedures, there is no downtime for recovery and the results stay for a year. The writer is a cosmetic dermatologist. Source: The Asian Age, Image: flickr.com
