Sleep: The Best-Kept Beauty secret
Written by: Marianne Moro

Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, and late Latina bombshell Dolores Del Rio have all claimed it as one of their best beauty secrets.
It's one of the most potent tools for health, serenity and prolonged youth we have, and it works for both men and women. It costs less than a health club membership, or even a cheap pair of rollerblades. Despite this, it's universally neglected and not even considered important by most people. Unless, of course, noisy neighbors or a late night out prevent us from getting it.

Sleep. The subject has been in the mainstream news an awful lot lately. Researchers debate about the amount of sleep the average person should get. Will we live longer on the seven to nine hours our Moms and grandmas suggested, or on less? As far as the average person is concerned, studies say we're not getting enough sleep no matter what our lot in life; kids, teen-agers and adults from all backgrounds cut corners where shut-eye is concerned. Americans are paying the price for this with loss productivity, alertness, and dozing off on the job.

Instead of looking at sleep as a necessary and constantly delayed evil in our busy schedules, ambitious young adults, should think of a good night's sleep as a part of our beauty/health regime as much as exercise or wardrobe. This is particularly sage advice
for actors, actresses and models, who stake so much of their careers on looking good on stage or in front of the camera. In addition to increased alertness and brain function, eight hours of sleep (or more!) is good for the complexion. Even the position you sleep in can affect your looks - sleeping on your stomach with your face pressed in the pillow causes puffiness under the eyes. Inappropriate support of the neck from a too-soft or non-existent pillow can cause headaches or chiropractic problems. Many sleep experts suggest
using chambered air mattresses. There are literally dozens of different mattress types, and some of them are pretty pricey, but a good mattress is one of the better health investments you can make.

Colds, infections, and obesity are also thwarted by enough sleep. Research studies showed that young men who got four hours of sleep a night for six nights in a row developed impaired glucose tolerance and a near diabetic state. So the next time you feel tempted to shave off a few hours from your sleep schedule, think again. While it's impossible to get eight hours of sleep a night, every night, it's a good idea to make burning the midnight oil an exception rather than a rule. While a restful night's slumber doesn't guarantee prevention of life's ills, it certainly does help. And you'll save money on concealer!