Reflect SA Models: 10 MOVIES TO WATCH THIS JANUARY

Reflect SA Models: 10 MOVIES TO WATCH THIS JANUARY: Meryl Streep: as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady


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Reflect SA Models: HOW TO HAVE A BEAUTY-SLEEP

Reflect SA Models: HOW TO HAVE A BEAUTY-SLEEP: 1). Learn How To Rest Before You Sleep According to Dr. Edlund, it's not just about the amount of sleep you are getting, it's also about the...

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HOW TO HAVE A BEAUTY-SLEEP

1). Learn How To Rest Before You Sleep
According to Dr. Edlund, it's not just about the
amount of sleep you are getting, it's also about
the quality of it. On average, Dr. Edlund says
most people wake up about 15-20 times during
the course of the night, but don't realize they are
awake. If you don't power down mentally and
physically before you go to bed, that number can
double or triple. The more deep, uninterrupted
sleep you get, the more refreshed and well-
rested you will be, so it's crucial to make every
effort to get your best sleep BEFORE you actually
go to bed.
To prepare yourself for this restorative sleep, Dr.
Edlund recommends doing a series of de-
stimulating exercises for your mind and body.
"Take 30 minutes before bedtime to calm down,"
he says. "Do some breathing exercises to relax
your body and meditate to put yourself in a state
of mental rest." He also suggests practicing
paradoxical relaxation: Actively focus on one
muscle group at a time. Don't tense or move
those muscles, just think about them, one by
one, and your body will slowly begin to relax.

2). Create A Comfy Sleep Environment
How can you expect to get any sleep if your
bedroom is a gauntlet of stimulants? Edlund
recommends removing or covering all the lights
in your room — even those from your digital
clock. "Lights can block out melatonin production,
which causes you to be more fully awake, making
it harder to fall back asleep," he says. Make sure
your bedroom is a place that promotes sleep
with calming things like cozy blankets and silky
sleep masks. Dorothy Praska, the lead
aesthetician at Bliss SoHo in NYC, suggests using
essential oils as part of your nighttime ritual —
put some lavender oil on a humidifier to gently
spread the calming scent throughout your room.
You can also dab a drop or two on your pillow —
just be sure not to go overboard as too strong a
scent will actually just make you more awake.
3). Get Into A Routine
"Go to bed at the same time and get up at the
same time every day, even on weekends," says
Dr. Edlund. "If your body's inner timing
mechanism is really synchronized and tight, you
just work better." It's also helpful to create a
sleep routine each night — turn down the lights,
brush your teeth, lay out your clothes for the
next day, and read a non-stimulating book, like
poetry or a memoir. "You want to do things that
tell your brain it's time for sleep," he says.

4). Formulate A Nightly Beauty Ritual
Your skin does the majority of its repair work at
night, so you need to optimize that with some
really fabulous products. Night creams are
specifically formulated with more moisturizers
and active ingredients in order to capitalize on
your revved up reparative system, so you'll get
the best beauty results if you use one at
bedtime, as opposed to your usual moisturizer.
Praska says you should also only use exfoliating
treatments like glycolic acid or retinol at night, as
they will irritate your skin and can cause sun
damage if you use them during the day.
5). Trick Your Body Into Relaxing
Simple things like what you eat and your body
temperature can actually have a huge impact on
your sleep. Coffee addict? Better cut down on
the afternoon lattes — caffeine can actually stay
in your system up to 7 hours after being
consumed, which can cause some big problems
trying to get to la la land later that night. Instead,
Praska recommends drinking chamomile tea,
which can have a calming effect and is caffeine-
free. Dr. Edlund also says that a nightcap is a big
no-no — it can be just as disruptive as caffeine
and will only cause you to wake up more during
the night.
If you're having real trouble falling asleep, Dr.
Edlund recommends the temperature trick: Take
a hot bath right before bedtime. It will raise your
core temperature, so that when you get out, you
get cold, which causes you to get sleepy. "When
your body core temperature rapidly declines, it
tells your brain to go to sleep immediately. Taking
a hot bath seems to mimic that natural prompt,"
says Edlund.