Have you been experiencing unsightly, flaky skin patches on different parts of your body? Are they itchy, red, and extremely uncomfortable? If your answer is yes, you might be suffering from psoriasis. Psoriasis is a common skin disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. While it manifests in different ways, one underlying factor has been recognized to trigger flare-ups – poor sleep quality. In this blog post, we will explore the unseen connection between sleep and psoriasis and how dermatologists are using this information to improve their patient’s condition.
The Importance of Sleep
Researchers have long identified sleep as one of the fundamental pillars of good health. Sleeping provides your body the opportunity to heal, repair, and recharge. While asleep, your brain produces cytokines, essential proteins that combat inflammation and infection. Additionally, sleep has a direct effect on your skin health. With the right amount of quality sleep, your body produces collagen. Collagen is an essential protein that keeps your skin supple, elasticated, and young-looking.
Poor Sleep Quality and Psoriasis Flare-ups
Unfortunately, poor sleep quality creates a host of problems for psoriasis sufferers. When you don’t get the required amount of sleep, your body produces hormones that promote inflammation. This inflammation triggers numerous psoriasis flare-ups, leading to further discomfort and dissatisfaction. Furthermore, sleep deprivation destroys the functionality of your skin barrier, allowing bacteria to penetrate your skin, setting off inflammation, and triggering flare-ups. It’s now evident that when you prioritize sleep, you can significantly improve psoriasis management.
How to Improve Sleep Quality
Fortunately, sleep management can be improved through lifestyle changes and effort. First, ensure that you sleep in a quiet and cool room without any distractions such as electronic devices. Secondly, be consistent with your sleep routine. Always go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This consistency will train your brain to associate that time with sleep, improving the quality of every sleep session. Finally, staying active through exercise can promote healthy sleeping habits. Exercise can increase fatigue and help regulate your sleep schedule, improving sleep quality.
Other Ways to Improve Psoriasis Management
Improving sleep quality is one approach to manage psoriasis. Beyond sleep quality, dermatologists have discovered several other ways to alleviate psoriasis’s discomfort. A healthy and balanced lifestyle consisting of a healthy diet, avoiding triggers that may exacerbate psoriasis’s symptoms, and regularly moisturizing your skin can all have a positive effect on your psoriasis condition.
Managing psoriasis requires taking a holistic approach to care. People living with psoriasis should prioritize sleep to reduce the frequency of flare-ups. By improving the quality of your sleep through consistent sleep routines, quiet and cool environments, and regular exercise, you can significantly improve your daily life. Besides sleep, dermatologists recommend a healthy lifestyle, avoiding triggers, and moisturizing the skin to improve psoriasis management. If you are suffering from psoriasis, work with your dermatologist to develop a customized care program that takes into account your lifestyle choices and medical history.
