By Christabelle… @CBellesCloset (*Pure Editorial, Non-Paid Post,*Samples provided for review)

We hear it constantly: we need 8 hours of sleep per night. Without enough sleep, we wake up looking worn with Raccoon circles and bags under the eyes.

It has been proven that lack of sleep leads to diabetes, obesity, and immune deficiency. But now, a study commissioned by Estee Lauder based on women, proves that inadequate sleep can lead to more than just under eye bags, to the tune of more serious premature skin aging effects including fine lines, blemishes, and reduced skin elasticity. That information alone is enough to make you get a bad night’s sleep…until now.

Get your sleep on with these three sleep products…

1. Sleep Cycle. Have you ever woken up feeling completely exhausted when the alarm clock goes off, despite the fact that you had “enough” hours of sleep? Chances are you woke up during your deep sleep phases…something that can turn your whole day into one long zombie marathon.

The Sleep Cycle alarm clock is able to use the accelerometer in your smart phone to monitor your movement and determine which sleep phase you are in.  Sleep Cycle then uses a 30 minute alarm window that ends at your set alarm time and wakes you in your lightest sleep phase. It is a natural way to wake up where you feel rested and relaxed. Once used for five nights in a row, you can review the charts of your sleep patterns to see how well you are actually sleeping each night. It is an eye-opener (no pun).

2. SleepPhones. Developed by a woman doctor who was experiencing difficulty getting back to sleep after late night emergency room calls, SleepPhones is an alternative sleep aid that allows women to shut down at night. A patented fleece headband with built-in high quality speakers, SleepPhones helps people fall asleep easily and comfortably. It has been proven that listening to certain sounds, such as white noise or the sounds of nature, can help people fall asleep. SleepPhones is compatible with most MP3 players, smart phones and audio books, users can use their own music, download from the SleepPhones site or free smart phone app.

3. Wrinkle Prevention Pillow.  The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) cautions that sleeping in certain positions night-after-night leads to “sleep lines — wrinkles that become etched into the surface of the skin and don’t disappear once you’re up.” Sleeping on your side increases wrinkles on cheeks, chest and chin, while sleeping face-down gives you a furrowed brow. Sleeping on your face is the 3^rd major cause of permanent lines and wrinkles (the sun and smoking are 1 and 2).  How can you get a good night’s rest, when your nightly routine could be giving you wrinkles?? By using the Wrinkle Prevention Pillow…

• Wrinkle Prevention Pillow is a natural way to help prevent permanent sleep lines and wrinkles while you sleep. Its unique patented design supports and cradles your head so you can sleep in any position and your face will not smash into the pillow.
• The unique design of the pillow helps to prevent tossing and turning while you sleep.
• The pillow naturally helps to prevent eye puffiness by slightly elevating your head.
• The pillow helps prevent chest wrinkles. The patented design of the pillow has a contoured center, which makes sleeping on your back more natural and comfortable. Sleeping on your back is the best way to prevent chest wrinkles.

Happy Snoozing!

Need more help with your zzzz’s? Here are some tips from Sleep expert Dr. David Volpi, founder of Eos Sleep Center, to get the best sleep possible, he recommends:

Reclaim the bed for its intended purpose: Rest and sleep.Avoid eating, watching TV or using electronics in bed. “It’s been scientifically proven that the light from TV and computer screens affects melatonin production and throws off circadian rhythms,” Volpi says. Make the bedroom like a sanctuary for sleeping by keeping the room cool, dark and quiet.

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Going to bed and waking within 20 minutes of the same time every day (even on weekends!) helps the body maintain regular sleep cycles.

Exercise outdoors, but not late in the evening.
Fresh air during the day can help you fall asleep at night, but exercising within three hours of bedtime raises body temperature, making it harder to fall asleep soundly. Set your workout for early morning or afternoon, and you’ll be more tired at bedtime.

Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, like taking a warm bath or reading a magazine.
It’s important to unwind before getting into bed. A study in Sleep, the Journal of the American Sleep Disorders Association, suggests taking a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime. The hot water raises body temperature, and cool air in the bedroom lowers skin temperature, which triggers your body to produce melatonin and become drowsy.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sleep medications.
“Even if you think they are helping you fall asleep initially, alcohol and medicines that make you drowsy may affect your sleep throughout the night,” he says.

David O. Volpi, M.D., F.A.C.S., Founder

David Volpi, M.D., P.C., F.A.C.S. is the founder and medical director of New York’s premiere private Ear, Nose and Throat practice, EOS Sleep Centers and a staff member at New York’s finest teaching hospitals. An otolaryngology surgeon with over twenty years of experience in the health, sleep and sleep disorder spaces, Dr. Volpi was recently named by Key Professional Media as one of their 2013 “Super Doctors”, a selective list of physicians chosen for their high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.