Sleeping beauty?

It's not called beauty sleep for nothing – quality slumber plays a huge part in looking good. If you need a little help drifting off, our tips will send you to la-la land in a flash...

'The best things you can do for your skin don't cost a penny: get lots of sleep and drink loads of water.'

Victoria Beckham

If your looks have been letting you down lately, it could be time for a reality check. Have you been clubbing till the early hours, skimping on shut-eye or simply finding it hard to wind down and nod off at night?

When you don't get enough sleep...

Sleeping erratically is nearly as detrimental to your looks as being a serial sunbather – your eyes will appear red and sunken and you'll have dark circles. They may also be puffy and lack sparkle. Meanwhile, your skin will be ashen and dull, and breakouts and blotchiness more likely due to your hormones being out of sync.

Sleep starvation is costing British women an annual expense of £580 million in the name of beauty, according to new report by Travelodge. This equates to an additional expense of £48 million each month on expensive moisturisers, make-up and masks to combat the effects of sleep deprivation.

Nearly half (48 per cent) of the women surveyed confirmed that lack of sleep was affecting their looks and they were spending more money than ever making up for their lack of beauty sleep.

'No amount of expensive creams and cover-ups can make up for the high beauty value of a good night's sleep,' says beauty guru John Gustafson. 'Inadequate sleep results in dull skin, dark circles and blood-shot eyes which cutting-edge beauty products can't deal with.'

Scientists have also discovered that people who slept for less than six hours a night – or more than nine – put on more weight than those who slept for seven or eight hours each night.