28 replies to this topic

[Joey.]

Like most people here, I've been plagued with acne for majority of my life. I am now 21 years old and most days I haven't ventured of the house because of it. Let me make a point to say, I've tried everything. Accutane, Cline's, Proactiv or any OTC I've read here. The one thing I could never figure out is why I still breaked out. I looked at my friends and realized something everything seemed to do more than I did.

Sleep.

Now, most people here will tell me they have 6 hours of sleep a night/day and that should count. Wrong. I to slept 6-8 hours but it was when I was sleeping that caused more harm to my body. Some nights I found myself going to sleep at 3-4 in the morning, and not waking up till 11-12.

Over the last week, I've gone to bed "almost" every night at 11-12. While not monumental to some people, this has made the biggest difference in breakouts I've ever had. As in, I haven't broken out once. Not one spot. I wake up every morning now at 8-9 and go on with my day. Not only do I feel better psychically, my acne has subsided. I do still have red marks/acne scars, but they are slowly fading as well and why shouldn't they? No new acne to make new marks and the scars having a chance to finally heal.

While this has made a great difference, I've also changed my washing habits.

Warm Water during a shower. When I'm about to exit the shower, I turn the water to cold for a few seconds to cover my face and exit. That's all. I take nice warm/hot showers and when I'm going to get out, I turn the water to cold and rinse it on my face.


Things I probably know about you if you're similar to me in this regard. You're not regular and by regular, I mean you don't have bowel movements everyday or other day. While it's true that everyone is different in this, it doesn't help your body and finding a solution is best. I usually drink Epsom Salt water and within 30 minutes, I'm clear.

I'll keep everyone posted on the continuing of this but in all honestly, I'm not telling you to do anything that costs money, so feel free to try it for your own. I promise you, it will only make you better.

[karma89]

Yep. Its been on my signature for about a month now, I figured that out for my trigger a while ago. I used to sleep at 2-3.

[LIVEandLOVE]

Yep, I'm similar to you in both regards.



It's veryyy hard for me to get enough sleep, because I think I have a slight case of insomnia. But I'm trying, because I know that sleep is condusive to having healthy skin.

I disagree that sleep and water alone will work for most people, though...I'm actually quite shocked that just practicing those two things managed to get you clear...

[AutonomousOne1980]

we have evolved in accordance with the sun, darkness releases melatonin,while sunlight destroys melatonin and signals our bodies to produce cortisol, between melatonin and cortisol many other hormones have a relationship, stay in tune with the sun and your body will be in tune as well, everything just works better.

Its also important to stay on schedule everyday even on the weekends, no exceptions. Melatonin and hgh production while sleeping is crucial to stay youthful. Keep stress out of your life as it will keep cortisol production high and melatonin will not be created, and your sleep will suffer, continue with those sleepless nights and you will age before your time as melatonin is the bodys most potent antioxident.

I do believe all hollywood knows this and thats one reason they stay young a long time, look at demi moore, halle barry, and numerous of others. Im convinced Sleep has to be the number one health secret, stress is the number one killer, emotional psychological or otherwise. Stay calm, stay relaxed and joyful always, ignore politics and the news, you cant do anything about other peoples problems, your safety is all that should concern you.

[AltaPGT]

So do you cleanse normally with some sort of soap and then cold water blast at the end of the shower is just an addition?

Also, what type of acne and how severe?

[BIG DADDY]

I try and get six hours a night sometimes more but i dont like having any less.

I sleep through most of sunday so i get maybe 12 hours that day.

[deGuru]

I used to go to bed at 10 and wake up at 5 or 6, which is really good. but i work now, until 10 and i get home at like 11 and yeah, but when i woke up really early went for a morning walk did some meditation and a light breakfast, did i ever feel great lol i had so much energy and i had no problems sleeping none! once i hit the hay i fall asleep right away.

And right now though its 1 and im still awake, im going to bed in like 5 min

Also i just stopped using differin and my face is looking alot better.

If your diet and lifestyle are good then you will not need medicine
But if your diet and lifestyle is not good then medicine will not work.

What you do through ought the day is stronger then any drug.

[Pinknika]

I think sleep has a lot to do with it too...I have had insomnia since I was a little kid and I do think it plays a role. I notice on the weekends, when I do get a lot of sleep I wake up looking really good, my skin looks better and I have an overall refreshed look on my face...now to incorporate that sleep pattern with my daily lifestyle is pretty hard. I am still trying to figure it out. I think there was a post somewhere about sleep and sleep patterns and how he cured his acne? I can't find the post but his experiments made sense.

[I hate redspots]

Yep sleep is the single most important factor in my acne,

unfortunately I am a student, so my sleep is permanently fucked.

[Belloni]

I'm trying to go to sleep at around 12pm now and waking up around 9am.

However, in a few months time with my new job in london in a music studio, i may have to be up at 4am to get there for 6 for studio time, and other nights finish at 2am in the morning so won't get to bed till like 5.

Sucks!

[I am Snow]

I go to sleep at midnight and wake up at 10 everyday. My body has gotten so used to it that, if I even go to sleep around say 1am or 2am, I will still wake up right on the dot @ 10am.

Trying to monitor my sleeping pattern to going to sleep around 12 and waking up at 10 seems to have at least helped, and it definitely gives me energy through the day.

[Healthoid]

Yeah, people forget about sleep. It is ridiculously important, not just for acne, but for everything going on in your body. If you aren't sleeping well, your entire body is going to malfunction.

Keep your bedroom as dark as possible, go to bed early so you aren't sleeping in through the morning light and get 9-7 hrs a day.

[AutonomousOne1980]

http://www.scienceda...91025075844.htm

Id be willing to say that if you have ANY health issues at all, to first check your sleep habits.

Then your stress levels.

then your diet.

id bet sleep and stress(emotional & psychological) are more important then diet though.

[AniMuS]

The fact that it's only been one week since you introduced that change, says it can be purely coincidental. If for the next 3 weeks this continues, then you probably were sleeping too little. But for now its just too soon to jump into any conclusions.

[EnlightenMe]

When I got acne, I got more when I slept more.

[AutonomousOne1980]

When I got acne, I got more when I slept more.

well obviously its time to stop sleeping.

[Healthoid]

It's not just the quantity of your sleep...but the quality.

The quality is extremely important. Near-complete darkness in your sleeping area is a must. And keeping your sleep schedule as stable as possible is very important too. You are not going to get quality sleep when you sleep at different times of day all the time.

[Elsewhere]

I heard a very interesting thing on NPR today about sleep - that if you're having some kind of stress or emotional issues, try going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday for two weeks, getting as close to 8 hours of sleep as you can.

They said if after two weeks you are still having the stress and issues, then you really might have a problem. But that the first option to be explored could be sleep related.

[Healthoid]

I heard a very interesting thing on NPR today about sleep - that if you're having some kind of stress or emotional issues, try going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday for two weeks, getting as close to 8 hours of sleep as you can.

They said if after two weeks you are still having the stress and issues, then you really might have a problem. But that the first option to be explored could be sleep related.

That is a really good point. Poor sleep is associated with psychological problems.

[Joey.]

I guess it would be best to rephrase.

My acne has subsided and when I say that, I mean I haven't broken out. I haven't changed my diet nor any other aspect. I learned early, that if you were going to truly test anything, it would have to be step by step.

Before I started sleeping regularly, I would probably still have gotten 7-8 hours of sleep. 2-10, 4-12 etc. Since I've been going to bed at 12pm or earlier, I wake up every morning like clock work. My face isn't near as oily as it used to be and no new pimples.

I honestly feel that if you add this to your regimen, it will only help.

I still haven't broken out and my red marks are continuing to fade.