Not sleeping on your back? You could age faster

Any sleeping position, other than lying flat on your back, can cause wrinkles on your face and chest.

Most of us know what going without sleep can do to our looks.

Dark circles, puffy eyelids, washed out skin are just a few of the bad effects of less than perfect sleep.

But could the way you sleep be giving you wrinkles?

Studies have proved that the position you sleep in can make you look and feel older.

How sleeping positions affect you

Do you lie face-down on your bed or do you curl on your side like a baby?

Remember that any sleeping position, other than lying flat on your back, can cause wrinkles on your face and chest.

Lying on your back stops fluid from collecting under your facial skin which would otherwise leave you pasty and puffy-faced the next morning.

It also prevents the formation of creases on your face leading to wrinkles long-term, and premature facial ageing.

You must understand that wrinkles are caused due to repetitive movements of the face.

As we age, our skin loses elasticity; so any repetitive habit like even raising an eyebrow can lead to wrinkles.

Sleeping positions and sleep lines

The way you sleep causes lines on your face called sleep lines.

You can get them, if you crunch your face into your pillow while sleeping on your side.

It's possible to look at a person and make out which side they lie on the bed while sleeping. More wrinkles on one side mean they have slept with their cheek pressed into the pillow on that particular side.

This applies more to you, if you are over 50 and have been sleeping in the same position for 5 to 7 months at a go.

You can instantly see permanent creases on your face and décolletage area (upper chest).

Wrinkle prevention tips

• Switching to silk or satin pillowcases is an alternative. Your face slides on satin pillows and doesn't crunch into it thus reducing sleep lines. Changing pillowcases frequently also helps. So do using special pillows to prevent facial wrinkles.
• To prevent chest wrinkles due to wrong sleeping positions, use a stuffed stocking in between your breasts so that thinner skin does not slide and scrape against each other, causing wrinkles.
• Retinol, a vitamin A derivative is the most powerful tool in your anti-ageing arsenal, as it stimulates collagen formation. Use retinol creams on your face and décolletage before sleeping to prevent formation of wrinkles. 
• Avoid using a heater while sleeping. This will dry out your skin, even more, causing accelerated ageing.
• Moisturise your skin well before sleeping. Night creams containing hyaluronic acid, which helps plump and firm the skin, are best. You can also use the humble coconut oil for moisturising your skin.
• You may also use humidifiers to raise moisture levels in your bedroom. 

Lead image used for representational purposes only. Image: Mark J Sebastian/Creative Commons