Simply put, a mental health break is anything that allows you to step back, relax, and recharge your mind. Mental health breaks can look different for everyone, depending on what helps them feel the renewal they need. Some mental health breaks may only last for 10 minutes, while others may include a week-long vacation.
This article is originally posted on Proven Skincare.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “beauty sleep” so many times that you stopped wondering if it meant much. Well, it does: sleeping the right amount every night is an essential part of maintaining optimal skin health, and there are many benefits of sleep for both your skin and overall health.
Sleep is when your whole body does housekeeping to clean up and repair cells—and that includes your skin. During deep sleep, the natural rise in growth hormones repairs damaged cells. These are benefits of deep sleep only - so without the deeper phases of sleep, this won't occur, and your skin’s daily wear and tear will accumulates.You may be wondering, how much sleep do I need? The answer is between 7 to 9 hours a night. Continual sleep deprivation--meaning less than 7 to 9 hours per night--results in more noticeable signs of aging because the body isn’t able to repair itself.
During sleep, blood flow to the skin increases, helping to rebuild collagen and repair UV damage.
Regular sleep deprivation can lead to wrinkles, sagging skin, and dark circles under the eyes. When you sleep, your body delivers fluids to organs and tissues that need replenishing, and removes excess fluids
from other areas—those under-eye bags are pockets of fluid your body didn’t have time to drain. When you get too little sleep, your blood vessels leak a little, mixing with the fluids that are already there and creating dark circles.
Skimping on sleep also increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout your body, which causes inflammation. In addition to contributing to signs of premature aging, lack of sleep effects such as higher cortisol levels further exacerbate skin problems like acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
The way you sleep can also affect your skin. As far as your skin is concerned, the best way to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your side, you should get a skin-friendly pillow, such as silk or copper oxide. Silk is super soft and tightly woven, which minimizes rubbing and those funny-looking skin imprints. It also absorbs less oil and bacteria than cotton does, so it stays cleaner. Copper oxide pillowcases have copper oxide particles embedded in the fabrics. While it sounds far-fetched, the science behind it is pretty solid--copper oxide has been shown to benefit acne-prone skin, and may also help prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
“Copper is naturally antimicrobial,” says Susan Bard, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist. “In this case, the copper may help keep bacterial counts low. People prone to acne have reported improvement with copper pillow use. Copper is also a vital cofactor for collagen synthesis,” Bard explains. “Increased collagen production leads to improvement in fine lines and wrinkles.”
Whether or not a copper oxide pillow is in your budget right now, the basic three 'musts' when it comes to maximizing your beauty rest are:
- Always wash your face before going to bed
- Always use a night cream that will maximize your skin's repair processes
- Always get 7 to 9 hours of sleep, so your body has enough time to replenish its cells, and enjoy the many benefits of getting enough sleep!
Now is the perfect time to detox at home. All the excuses you’ve had in the past are gone: there are no business dinners, happy hours, networking events, weddings. Whatever got in the way of committing to a cleanse has been #cancelled. Why not take this time to take your vibration higher with a cleanse?
A detox can help you feel refreshed, boost your energy, and reset your body for the fall. And luckily, detoxing at home can take many different forms. Here are some easy ways you can remove toxins from your body at home.
USE OUR INFRARED SAUNA BLANKET
SWITCH UP YOUR DIET
- An elimination diet: figure out what your body is sensitive to and what may be dragging down your energy. This diet can help identify common food sensitivities. “Experiment with taking the top common food sensitivities out of your diet for 21 to 30 days and then systematically add them back in. The foods that are eliminated include gluten, dairy, corn, soy, sugar, eggs, and/or alcohol,” explains one expert.
- A sugar detox: we’ve all reached for that cookie or slice of cake when we’re feeling stressed. A sugar detox is a great idea for anyone struggling with inflammation or low energy. Eliminate all “high glycemic carbohydrates” (read: bread and cookies) as well as fruit that’s high in sugar, artificial sweeteners, and even natural sweeteners like agave.
- Whole foods cleanse: this detox diet is intense, but it will leave you feeling sharper than ever! Eliminate all processed foods and stick to fresh, home-cooked meals. Focus on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, all that good stuff. Most experts recommend adding in cleansing ingredients: water with fresh lemon juice, bitter greens, ginger, and turmeric.
TRY A DIGITAL DETOX
DO A SPECIFIC CLEANSE
- Liquid cleanses: also known as a juice cleanse, try limiting your meals to only the extract squeezed from fruits and vegetables.
- Liver cleanses: build your body’s defense against harmful substances with a cleanse for your liver and kidneys! Add apple cider vinegar, green tea, and lemon water into your regular diet.
- Colon cleanses: clean out your digestive tract and promote a healthy gut by adding a probiotic like kefir to your diet.
DRY-BRUSH YOUR SKIN
TRY A MENTAL DETOX
This article is originally posted on Proven Skincare.
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