More than 60% of Americans are having sleep problems due to COVID19 and with all the added stress each day it makes one thing even worse…wrinkles. Did you know that the position you sleep in could be the reason you wake up looking puffy or droopy-eyed?

Along with removing makeup before bed and getting your eight hours of sleep, sleep position can affect how our skin looks. Dr. Konstantin Vasyukevich, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, explains that when the body is in a horizontal position for hours during sleep, it shifts the balance of fluid distribution to the upper body, which is why we see facial swelling early in the morning.

He says that the daily expansion and contraction of facial tissue puts a strain on the face and can eventually lead to stretching and sagging, which can make us look older. And it turns out, some sleeping positions are worse than others for creating those premature sleep wrinkles. Here’s how the doc ranks the three basic sleep positions.

Source: Real Simple

Sleeping on your side

It’s the best way to sleep if you have sinus problems, but side sleeping can lead to wrinkles on the side of your face you lie on and your neck and chest. A big factor for aging during sleep is the movement of your skin against the pillow, which might not seem like it would make a difference, but after years and years, it does. Using a silk or satin pillowcase can help minimize these effects.

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Sleeping on your stomach

Sorry to tell you stomach sleepers, but this is the worst position for your skin because it pushes your skin against the pillow and that can cause swelling, as well as reinforce frown lines around the eyes and lips. Over time, this can accelerate the formation of permanent fine lines, especially on the forehead, and overall facial wrinkles. Sleeping on your stomach can also create more puffiness around the eyes, so try to avoid it.

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Sleeping on your back

If you can catch your Z’s this way, it’s the best position for prolonging youthful skin. There’s no wrinkle-inducing friction on your face or pressure from it “folding” into the pillow. And the doc says you can make back sleeping even better for your skin by propping up your head with an extra pillow to prevent puffy eyes in the morning.

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