Want to Look Your Best on Your Wedding Day? Get More (and Better) Sleep!
Planning every detail of your wedding, from the perfect dress to the guest list, can be a stressful process that may leave you awake late into the night. The average adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep to heal, rejuvenate, and recharge themselves. Even getting one hour or less sleep than needed can put you into a state of sleep deprivation, which can leave you sick, grumpy, and looking ragged.
A Healthy Wedding Day
No bride or groom wants to be sniffling or coughing as they walked down the aisle, which makes staying healthy is an important part of looking your best on your wedding day. Sleep deprivation lowers your immune system’s ability to fight off infection. Without adequate rest, your immune system does not distribute antibodies as effectively, leaving you susceptible to illness. Not only are you more likely to get sick, but any illness you do get may also last longer when you’re not getting enough rest.
Say No to Bridezilla
No one wants to be a bridezilla, and one of the best ways to prevent being a monster bride is to get enough rest. While sleep won’t get rid of your stress, it certainly makes stress easier to manage, which in turn improves your mood. No matter how well you plan, there will be some surprises on your wedding day that are out of your control. You don’t need extra irritability or stress from lack of sleep.
Look Your Best
You can go ahead and admit it, you want to look amazing on your wedding day. Sleep plays an important role in appetite control. During sleep deprivation, the hunger hormone ghrelin gets released in larger amounts while the satiety hormone leptin gets released in smaller amounts. The results–overeating and unwanted weight gain.
Additionally, eyes, hair, and skin take on a healthy glow when your body has time to rest and rejuvenate itself. Adequate sleep not only makes you look younger and feel better, but your own perception of your appearance improves.
Getting More (and Better) Sleep
Wedding stress can make it tough to get the rest you need. But, with the right combination of conditions and habits, you can get the deep, restful sleep you need for your special day.
- Bedroom Conditions: When preparing for a wedding, your bedroom should be a sleepy sanctuary. At night, it needs to be dark, quiet, and cool with the temperature somewhere between 60 to 68 degrees. If you’re waking sore and achy, you may need to upgrade your mattress to be sure it supports your preferred sleep position so you can reach the deepest levels of sleep.
- Consistent Bedtime: Going to bed at the same time every night allows your body to follow a regular sleep-wake cycle. Your brain will automatically start the release of sleep hormones at the same time each night.
- Bedtime Routine: Your routine can include anything that relaxes you such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, meditation, or yoga. Perform your routine in the same order at the same time each day for the best results.
- Turn Off the Screens: While it might be tempting to take one last look at your guest list while in bed, looking at a laptop, iPod, smartphone, or other electronic devices that give off bright blue light can suppress the release of melatonin, a sleep hormone. Turn off your devices at least an hour before bedtime to prevent sleep disturbances.
Best regards,
Cleopatra