Lying in the sun without SPF, too many cocktails or even the merest whiff of a cigarette will understandably make wrinkles worse. But there’s now a new, unexpected culprit gaining attention for causing the signs of ageing to accelerate – repeatedly sleeping on the same side can also be regarded as a bit “rock and roll” when it comes to causing wrinkles.
Harley Street-based aesthetic practitioner, Dr Sophie Shotter tells me, “It has jokingly become one of my party tricks that I can accurately tell which side a person sleeps on. It’s part of my job to scrutinise faces on a daily basis and it’s really clear that if someone repeatedly sleeps on the same side, that favoured side will look a few years older. The brow will be a bit lower, their lines will be a little bit more pronounced and the nasal labial fold will be a bit heavier.”
How we sleep became a debated topic on social media recently thanks to American beauty influencer Marianne. In a viral TikTok video watched millions of times, she claimed her uneven lip shape was due to sleeping on her side.
While the notion of lip volume altering due to sleep position seems a little far-fetched, plastic surgeon Dr Ash Soni agrees that his patients who sleep repeatedly on the same side tend to notice “deeper folds and lines” on that side. “Genetically, most of our faces aren’t perfectly symmetrical and patients will often put that down to their sleep position. It’s difficult to say how much is genetic and how much is down to how they sleep. But yes, repeated pressure on one side will definitely change the structure of the skin and make it more susceptible to wrinkles.”
Oculoplastic surgeon Dr Maryam Zamani agrees, “Sleeping on your side can cause repetitive pressure to a specific area creating creases and worsening the appearance of lines and wrinkles,” she says.
“This exacerbates asymmetrics of the eyes, lips and face. As we age, asymmetrics become increasingly more apparent and furthermore, skin elasticity decreases, which means it can take more time for static lines to rehydrate and bounce back after a night’s sleep.”
If sleeping on our side is not great for our faces, sleeping on our front is even worse.
“This is the least favourable position of all,” adds Dr Zamani, “as it applies significant pressure to your face, contributing to wrinkles and skin irritation and is not good for the neck either. Any long-term favouring on one side or the tummy can also etch and worsen the appearance of lines on the decolletage.”
So should we be retraining ourselves to sleep on our backs as French mothers apparently taught their daughters back in the day?
Dr Sophie Shotter has a refreshing answer, “Not if you’re approaching or are in midlife,” she says. “Realistically changing to sleep on your back isn’t going to have a huge impact on these lines. And you’ll probably have a bad night’s sleep and look worse in the long run if you try to retrain yourself to sleep on your back, as sleep quality is also key for skin health. In my view, it’s more sensible to do things like drinking more water during the day so that your skin is hydrated making it more resilient to the effects of your sleep position.
“Silk pillowcases are less likely to cause friction to the skin (and may also help eliminate midlife hair frizz and shedding) – and some people swear by a specially shaped memory foam pillow, whose design reduces contact between the face and pillow. It’s often recommended by surgeons post surgery as it’s reportedly good for helping with morning puffiness too.”
Using good skincare will always help. Dr Ash Soni advises us to “use a night cream rich in lipids to protect your skin barrier from water loss if you want to wake up to plumper looking skin. Cerave Deep Hydration is good. And don’t forget to apply a hyaluronic acid serum morning and night also. Vichy 89 is effective and well-priced.”
Intervention from an aesthetic practitioner is an option if you are feeling particularly conscious. Dermal fillers are the most effective treatment for deep lines caused by your sleep position to hydrate, boost and support the skin.
“Skin tightening and lifting treatments such as Sofwave can help with asymmetry,” suggests Dr Shotter, “as it can be tailored to work on just one side of the face. Skin boosters such as Profhilo will work well on improving the look particularly of crepey skin on the decolletage.”
But Dr Shotter warns against too much Botox in the forehead as it can make sleep lines more prominent. “Static wrinkles caused by sleep are different to the dynamic forehead wrinkles caused by muscle movement. Sleep wrinkles tend to be more diagonal especially if you’ve slept on one side. So if your forehead is too smooth and clear of wrinkles due to Botox, your sleep wrinkles may be more visible.”
As ever, everything in moderation rules. Let’s not lose too much sleep over it, and enjoy a glass of wine or two knowing that help is at hand if we can’t kick the side sleeping habit.
CeraVe moisturising cream, £17, Boots; Vichy Mineral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum, £27.50, Look Fantastic
From left: The Omnia pillow, £135, Sleep & Glow; Pure silk pillowcase, £89, Slip