Hit the Snooze Button for Beauty!

Dr. Perricone's enewsletter just sent out information about a fascinating study conducted by researchers at London's Westminster University that found a physiological difference between people who wake early and those who wake later. The study looked at levels of cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, and discovered that the levels varied, depending upon rising times.

As we know, cortisol is a stress hormone, whose levels are controlled by the brain. Cortisol is essential for maintaining homeostasis during acute forms of stress, like fear, physical trauma and extreme physical exertion. But a problem arises when cortisol is present for long periods of time and in excess quantities.

High levels of cortisol will:
• Increase body fat
• Thin the skin
• Cause depression of the immune system
• Elevate blood sugar
• Cause bone loss
• Be toxic to brain cells
• Cause mental depression

The study examined cortisol levels in 42 healthy individuals at waking times that ranged from 5:22 a.m. to 10:37 a.m. over a two-day period. People who woke earlier tended to have higher concentrations of cortisol during the first 45 minutes of their day. This doesn’t mean we need to sleep until 11 AM, just 20 or 30 minutes more sleep in the morning will have the desired effect.

A little extra sleep in the morning can provide us with an antidote to the high stress levels we all experience, allowing us to go through our day in a much better state of mind.