More research needed into sleep-skin aging link
31/10/2011
Although there is a common belief that a lack of sleep can lead to the premature aging of the skin, there has been relatively little research into the area.
This is according to consultant dermatologist Dr Nick Lowe, who suggested that much of the theory is pure speculation, rather than being based on scientific fact.
"There's an increasing body of work suggesting that in the long-term, sleep deprivation could prematurely age skin," he told the Daily Mail.
Dr Lowe emphasised that chronic sleep deprivation has been demonstrated to have a negative impact on the immune system within just a matter of weeks.
As a result, this makes it more difficult for the skin to repair damage that is inflicted during the day, the expert noted.
Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine Sleep Center in Houston, Texas recently discovered a link between teenagers spending a lack of time in bed and weight gain.
Posted by Michael Ewing
