If your darkened eyes and drawn features could be mistaken for a scary mask this Halloween, get your sleep pattern back on track before further disruption this weekend.

On Halloween, the last Sunday in October, the clocks go back a whole hour. This means British Summertime (BST) will officially end and Greenwich Meantime (GMT) will begin, leading to shorter daylight hours. During these darker months, it’s important to seek out exposure to morning light where you can. Light is a strong cue to alert the internal clock, and daylight ensures it remains synchronised to the 24-hour day. Lack of light exposure during the day can result in a drift of the internal body clock to a longer than 24-hour rhythm, making it harder to get up in the morning in the winter.

Moving our clocks in either direction re-sets our circadian rhythm which means for a few days our own internal body clocks becomes out of sync with our normal day/night cycle (1). It can take several days for our internal biological clock to re-synchronise with a new schedule, whether it's a clock change or a time zone difference. For some people, this can lead to disrupted sleep, and feeling tired during the day.

Not only does disrupted sleep leave us feeling tired and groggy it can also deregulate the skin’s natural repair and protection processes that occur whilst we sleep, leading to dark under eye circles and a dull looking complexion.

Getting a full night’s sleep is the key to a youthful and glowing complexion but if you are struggling to get off to sleep at night, try a relaxing mask with natural Lavender fragrance, like the Manuka Doctor Overnight Mask. This lavender scented leave-on gel mask, which not only helps to reduce dark circles, under eye bags and brighten a dull complexion, it also helps you relax for a restful night’s sleep. Wake to visibly hydrated, noticeably smooth, luminous skin.

Not only does the Manuka Doctor Overnight Lavender Mask contain Lavender Oil to help you relax and promote a restful night’s sleep, it also contains Glycerin and Albizia Julibrissin Bark to help reawaken a tired and dull looking complexion. Nopal Plant to help speed up the skin’s natural exfoliation process and regenerate new skin over-night. Manuka honey and Hyaluronic acid to boost skin's hydration, increase firmness and refine the appearance of wrinkles.

These hard-working natural ingredients protect and repair the proteic structures, which in turn promote the visible reduction of dark circles, under eye bags, a dull complexion and drawn features, leaving skin feeling hydrated, plump and healthy. Brighter eyes and a plumped complexion are just a night’s sleep away!

10 Tips for a Good Night's Sleep:

1. Relax - Whether it’s taking a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to soothing music before bed, make sure you relax.
2. Routine - Try to go to bed at the same time every day and create your own relaxation routine.
3. Avoid technology - Ban phones, computers and TVs from the bedroom and avoid looking at them for an hour before bed.
4. Create a relaxing ambience - Ensure that your room is the right temperature between 16 °C and 18 °C (60°F to 65°F) also a lack of clutter will relax the mind.
5. Don’t clock watch - Remind yourself that resting in bed and thinking nice thoughts is more productive than tossing and turning and looking at the clock every ten minutes.
6. Foods for sleeping - Eating healthily improves sleep generally, but some foods are particularly beneficial, such as milk, chicken, turkey and pumpkin seeds.
7. Foods to avoid - Spicy food, alcohol and large meals shouldn’t be consumed in the hours before bedtime. Drinking caffeine in the afternoon can affect sleep.
8. Darkness promotes sleep - A darkened room helps to promote sleep. Try to block out external light with shutters or blinds.
9. Keep active in the day - Physical activity is great for sleep, as well as for your health generally.
10. Incorporate lavender into your bedtime regime - Lavender is used in everything from bath bombs to fabric softener because its fragrance helps you relax. Now scientists have confirmed the smell of lavender really does help you unwind. Japanese researchers at Kagoshima University discovered that those exposed to the aroma of Lavender had less signs of anxiety and helped them relax.

For more information on our award-winning Overnight Mask, read here

References:

1. https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/