Regular, good quality sleep is vital for every major system in our body including our immune, endocrine and nervous systems. While several factors such as medication, poor diet and too many stimulants can affect the quality of your sleep, it’s stress which is undoubtedly the leading cause of poor sleep habits.

When we’re stressed, higher rates of stress hormones such as cortisol are released into our bloodstream. These hormones kickstart the ‘fight or flight’ response in our sympathetic nervous system and we experience on onslaught of physical changes including a faster heart rate, quickened breath and constricted muscles. Elevated cortisol levels and these subsequent changes not only prevent us from relaxing into an optimal state for sleep, they also affect our skin and result in a breakdown of collagen (the structural protein in the body that gives skin its suppleness and bounce), increased oxidisation and inflammation and an increase in redness and oil overproduction which can lead to acne. With just one night of broken sleep enough to impair your mood, concentration and your physical health, it’s easy to see how a vicious cycle of increased stress and disrupted sleep can begin.

When we sleep our body goes into regeneration mode and nowhere is this more apparent than in our skin. Damaged or dead cells are replaced with new ones thanks to a natural exfoliation process, while any environmental damage, including UV, is also repaired. When we sleep, the skin's blood flow increases and essential structural maintenance such as the rebuilding of collagen and elastin continues. It stands to reason then, that missing those vital hours under the sheets for whatever reason, can play havoc with your skin, increasing levels of inflammation, slowing down important healing and repair systems and prompting outbreaks of acne, eczema, psoriasis and skin allergies.

While the average amount each person needs does depend, everyone should be aiming for between seven and nine hours a night. Whether you need help to improve the quality and longevity of your sleep, to drift off at night and or to wake feeling more refreshed, our Sleep Series collection is on hand to help. Formulated by Annee after years of research and testing, each product is formulated with base oils particularly chosen for their ability to promote maximum absorption of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, zinc and B vitamins, that are vital for sleep. Additional essential oils have also been carefully selected to address each sleep concern. Click HERE to find out more.