Just A Long List Of Low-Maintenance Tips To Improve Your Skin & Sleep At The Same Time

There I am, having just crawled into bed after a long day as a working mom, and I start to scroll. Poor form, I know. I am well aware I’m not supposed to bring my phone into the bedroom, and I’m certainly not supposed to get sucked into the never-ending vortex of 30-second videos. But none of us have perfect habits all of the time, and after a hectic day I just wanted some time by myself to zone out. 

That’s when I become inundated with “the shed” videos, which you might’ve seen on your own feed. In these videos, people show the very intense overnight beauty routine that they “shed” come morning, revealing a refreshed and glowing complexion. (They’re almost always in their 20s, I might add, which may contribute to said youthful glow.) I immediately thought about the simple 3-step skin care routine I had just completed. 

I get a lot of questions about this “trend.” Despite having a full Rolodex of dermatologists to reach out to, I don’t need to email a single one to know what they’d tell me: You don’t need to be doing all that. You can if you want to, but if you don’t have time or energy—don’t bother. 

Your skin—and the rest of your body—likes rhythm. One 2024 study, published in the journal Sleep1, analyzing sleep habits found that the most important predictor of long-term health wasn’t just sleep duration or even sleep quality, it was sleep regularity.

Going to bed at roughly the same time each night helps reinforce your circadian rhythm, which governs everything from hormone production to overnight cellular repair. When that rhythm is steady, your body is better able to move through the deeper stages of sleep where the real restoration happens.

Those deeper sleep cycles are when growth hormone is released and when the skin shifts into repair mode, supporting collagen production and barrier recovery. 

You know this, I know this, but blue light from screens is bad for sleep. Blue light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals to your body that it’s time to wind down. When melatonin release is delayed, sleep tends to become lighter and more fragmented.

Not only does this have a downstream effect on skin appearance, but it can actually get in the way of skin repair. Melatonin isn’t just the “sleep hormone”—research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences shows it actually helps repair skin cells and reduce inflammation. 

You do not need a multi-step nighttime routine. Relieve yourself the burden of needing to layer on every serum under the sun. Most nights, all I have the energy to do is a simple wash (I only splash my face with water since I’m not wearing any makeup, but if you are, use a gentle cleanser) and then I apply a moisturizer. 

As a beauty editor for 10+ years who has spoken to many, many dermatologists about the topic, this is all you really need to do.

Here’s why: Cleansing removes sunscreen, makeup, pollution, and excess oil that build up throughout the day. Leaving those on overnight can contribute to congestion, dullness, and irritation. And in the long term, it can even lead to premature aging thanks to free radical damage and inflammation. 

Hydrating products draw water into the skin, but occlusives help keep it there. Oils or salves form a light seal on the skin’s surface, slowing overnight moisture loss. In the winter, when our home is extra dry thanks to the radiator, I try to remember to apply an oil as my last step. 

Any plant oil that works for your skin will do. Jojoba oil is structurally similar to the skin’s natural sebum, which is why it tends to absorb easily without feeling heavy. Rosehip oil is another favorite, naturally rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin A compounds that support skin repair. Or you can keep it simple with squalane, a lightweight oil that helps reinforce the skin barrier. Of course, blends are also an easy way to get multiple benefits in one bottle.

Night is when the skin does much of its repair work, which makes it an ideal time to apply targeted ingredients. If you are someone who is serious about seeing a difference in your skin, it is in your best interest to use a nighttime-specific serum that can optimize your body’s rejuvenation pathways.

Anytime you toss around the word “massage,” folks automatically think "indulgence." And while that might be true for the kind you get at a spa, giving yourself a simple facial massage while you do your skin care routine is actually a pretty low-lift way to maximize on results. 

One study published in the journal PLoS One found that regular facial massage improved circulation to the face, resulting in improved skin appearance and even reduced wrinkle severity. This makes sense as increased blood flow means the skin is being supplied with the nutrients it needs to repair damage, build collagen, and fight inflammation.

In my opinion, some of the most fascinating (and alarming!) research around sleep has to do with both light and noise pollution. Studies show that even low levels of ambient light—like streetlights through the window or electronics glowing in the room—can interfere with melatonin production and keep the body in a lighter stage of sleep. Over time, that disruption can affect everything from metabolic to cardiovascular health. 

Because of this, I decided to try a really good full-coverage blackout eye mask—the kind that looks like a big, plush blindfold and sits snuggly around your eyes. It has transformed my sleep. 

Your face and hair touch your pillowcase for multiple hours a night, every night. That's a lot of contact; arguably more than anything else. That's why silk pillowcases have become so very popular for beauty-minded folk: They provide the best environment for your beauty sleep.

While sleeping on fabrics like cotton or linen certainly isn't going to ruin your skin or hair, they're not the best fabrics for them either. Cotton or linen are porous and therefore rougher fabrics. For hair, this means the fabric can snag and pull at hairs, trigger physical damage, lift up the cuticle, and cause frizz. This is especially problematic for those with curly hair, which is already prone to all of these issues. 

Many of us carry a surprising amount of tension in the neck and shoulders, especially after a day spent looking down at laptops and phones. That tension can linger into sleep, sometimes leading to stiffness or headaches the next morning.

It can also influence the muscles in your face, particularly the jaw, which can contribute to a heavier-looking lower third. Chronic tension in the neck and jaw can keep facial muscles in a subtly clenched state, which pulls the muscles, fascia, and dermis down—ultimately altering facial structure over time, leading to a hollow or sunken appearance.

Short meditation sessions can calm the nervous system and reduce the stress signals that keep the body alert. When stress hormones like cortisol remain elevated late at night, it can make falling asleep—and staying asleep—more difficult.

Elevated cortisol levels also lead to collagen decline and wrinkle formation. Research shows that the stress associated with poor sleep can deepen lines, with one study even showing that sleeping four hours a night was associated with two-times as many wrinkles3 as those who slept for the full eight. 

Interestingly, meditation and other mind-body practices that allow the body to relax are associated with improved skin barrier function and repair4, according to a preliminary study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine4. 

You don’t need a complicated overnight routine to wake up looking refreshed. In fact, the habits that make the biggest difference are often the least glamorous ones: sleeping on a consistent schedule, keeping your skin hydrated, minimizing light at night, and giving your body a chance to relax before bed. These small rituals support the biological processes that already happen while you sleep, from cellular repair to collagen production.