By Ali Finney; Photography by Freepik

Wait, what?

Dry skin is one of the most frustrating parts of the winter season. But surprise surprise: researchers found that neither diet nor exercise, but only poor sleep, was associated with “transepidermal water loss”, a decrease in skin hydration. Yes, turns out “beauty sleep” is legit.

As dermatologist Marina Peredo explains, “Dry skin can appear more aged.” Who wants that? Here’s what she suggests before bed to keep skin plump even when you can’t catch a full night’s rest.

1/ Sack Hot Showers

They’re never great for your skin – heat dries it out – but they are particularly important to avoid pre-sleep because your body temp rises overnight and the double whammy of heat can parch skin. Need a rinse? Jump in at least an hour before you snooze.

READ MORE: 7 Shaving Mistakes That Could Be Wrecking Your Skin

2/ Get A Humidifier

Transepidermal water loss slows in humid environments. So if it’s a dry time of year (like winter) or you simply live in a dry climate, flip on your humidifier at night to add moisture to the air and, ultimately, back to your skin as well.

READ MORE: 4 Ways To Keep Your Sweat Sessions From Messing With Your Skin

3/ Try A Skin Exfoliant

With a product that sloughs and hydrates, the former makes the latter more effective. WHSA editors love Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night (R303.25, ubuy.za.com). It combines exfoliating retinol with hyaluronic acid, which draws water into the skin.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com