While most of us blame sun exposure, dehydration, or skipping skincare for fine lines, there’s another silent culprit behind premature wrinkles: the way you sleep.
“Your sleep position has a direct impact on your skin,” explains Martin Seeley, Senior Sleep Expert at MattressNextDay. “When you spend hours every night pressing your face into a pillow, it creates repetitive pressure and folding of the skin, which over time can lead to permanent sleep lines and wrinkles.”
So, while getting a good night’s sleep with your face pressed against a rough pillow might have been fine in your twenties, as you age it can cause severe, lasting creases that don’t simply fade by morning.
Martin shares the best and worst positions for getting your beauty sleep and explains which to avoid if you want to prevent wrinkles.
Back sleeping – the gold standard
“Sleeping on your back is by far the best position for your skin,” explains Martin. “It keeps your face free from friction and pressure, allowing your skin to rest and recover without being squashed against a pillow.
“Not only does this position help minimise sleep lines, but it also supports spinal alignment and can reduce acid reflux.”
Side sleeping – moderate risk
“While comfortable for many, side sleeping can cause repeated compression on one side of the face, contributing to asymmetrical wrinkles, particularly around the cheeks and eyes where the skin is thinner and more prone to creasing.
“For natural side sleepers, using a silk pillowcase or an anti-wrinkle pillow can help reduce the impact,” Martin advises.
Stomach sleeping – the biggest culprit
Pressing your face directly into the pillow creates the highest level of skin compression.
“Sleeping on your stomach is the position is the most likely to accelerate the formation of sleep lines,” warns Martin.
“Over years, these repeated forces can break down collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep skin smooth and supple, making lines harder to smooth out with skincare alone.
“If you’ve been a lifelong stomach sleeper, it may take time to adjust, but even gradually training yourself to sleep more on your back can make a visible difference over time. Try using a medium firm mattress whilst training yourself to swap postures, this will help you achieve a flatter or more level spine as you sleep.”
About MattressNextDay
MattressNextDay is a leading online mattress retailer, operating since 2004. They specialise in competitive prices and free, fast next-day delivery, as well as other services such as mattress removal and recycling. They offer 1000s of mattresses, beds and bedding products, from multiple prestigious brands, including Hypnos, Silentnight, Sealy & Tempur. MattressNextDay also provides sleep and product advice, from both their buying guides and dedicated sleep blog, ‘Snooze News’. Their CEO, Martin Seeley, is a recognised Sleep Expert, regularly giving specialist advice to a number of renowned publications, such as The Guardian, Daily Mail and The Independent.
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