Sleep Wrinkles: What Are They and How to Prevent them?

Did you know that there are sleep wrinkles in addition to the traditional wrinkles caused by aging? The position in which you sleep every night contributes to accelerating aging, but also induces bad rest and stress, which can have effects on the skin.

What are sleep wrinkles?

Sleeping eight hours a night is no longer enough. It is true that good rest contributes to cell regeneration and helps you recover energy to get up with strength every morning. 

However, your sleeping posture also influences your skin. Sleep wrinkles appear on the face, neck, and décolleté. They are characterized by being vertical and, over time and with poor posture (as well as poor rest), they become quite deep and visible.

Do you have a favorite side that you sleep on every night? Well, sleep wrinkles usually appear on this side of the body, but also if you like to sleep on your stomach. All women are prone to the appearance of these wrinkles. However, those close to their 40s are even more at risk of sleep wrinkles. 

This is because, from this age, the levels of collagen and elastin in the skin significantly decrease. Sleep wrinkles can be noticed when you wake up but become less visible over the course of the day. Unfortunately, as time goes by and skin lacks collagen and elastin, it becomes increasingly difficult to erase them as the hours go by.

Sleep wrinkles or aging wrinkles?

You are probably wondering how to tell the difference between sleep wrinkles and traditional wrinkles caused by the natural aging of the skin. 

Well, you may be surprised to learn that they are not the same. To begin with, wrinkles caused by aging are not vertical like sleep wrinkles are. 

Moreover, sleep wrinkles can appear in any area. On the other hand, they also appear as a result of facial expressions, such as smiling or frowning. 

Wrinkles caused by laughing or puckering the lips appear in the area where the movement is made while sleep wrinkles can appear anywhere on the face, as well as in the décolleté area, especially in women with large breasts.

Preventing sleep wrinkles

Yes, it is possible to fight sleep wrinkles, even when you are asleep. How to do it?

One of the most effective ways is to sleep on your back. The skin of the face can drain better and, of course, you avoid all kinds of friction on the body caused by the sheets or pillow. 

Have you ever woken up after a nap with creases on your body that later fade away? Well, these are sleep wrinkles. When you sleep on your side, the weight of your body and gravity cause sagging and wrinkles in the décolleté area caused by the pressure of your breasts against the bed.

Another way to prevent the appearance of these peculiar wrinkles is to use night bras that allow the breasts to stay in place while tightening the entire area. 

Remember, they have to be specific bras, as a traditional bra would prevent proper circulation and can be harmful.

Using bed linen made of natural fabrics, such as silk and satin, can also be a good option. These fabric types are so fine and soft that they reduce friction and, consequently, the appearance of these wrinkles.

Products to combat sleep wrinkles

You can also include several products to help reduce sleep wrinkles, such as SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. This product has 15% pure vitamin C, which is highly recommended for fighting sleep wrinkles. 

SkinCeuticals' serum improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while combating loss of firmness while neutralizing free radicals caused by solar radiation and ozone pollution.

Vichy introduces Liftactiv Supreme HA Epidermic Filler, an innovative serum for the face and eyes that fights wrinkles and loss of firmness. In its formula, you will find 1.5% pure hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and anti-wrinkle biopeptides. It has a progressive plumping effect.

This cream is recommended for daily anti-aging care and to protect against UVA and UVB broad-spectrum rays. The product acts on existing wrinkles and fights the formation of new wrinkles. It contains hyaluronic acid and volcanic water.

For the night, Vichy's Liftactive Specialist Collagen Night cream corrects the daily damage that accumulates in the skin as a result of external agents. It is formulated with peptides, vitamin Cg, Resveratrol, and Vichy Volcanic Water. 

You can use any cream or serum of your choice that contains the ingredients contained in the above-mentioned products, so don't limit yourself to a specific brand. Use the one that suits your skin the best and that your dermatologist approves.

Final Word

Sleep wrinkles are nothing to worry about but if left untreated, they can stay for good. Make sure to take proper skin care, hydrate, and improve blood circulation after waking up by doing light warm-up exercises.