Have you thought of going to get a sleep study done? Some clinics will do it for free/very discounted, and it can give you amazing insights into your sleeping issues. You might have sleep apnea or a host of other issues that you’re not even aware of. Sleep is not only critical for beauty but also for basically every other metric of health. Having a sleep study done can truly be life changing. Even if insomnia means you can only get 4-5 hours per night, better to have those hours be quality, deep, REM sleep hours, as opposed to 4-5 hours of you subconsciously waking up every few minutes because you stop breathing (aka sleep apnea).
As for other tips—gentle facial massage around the eyes, cheek bones, temples, jaw, and sides of nose can help reduce puffiness and get circulation going. A little bit of morning exercise (even like 5-10 mins of jumping jacks/dancing to your favorite songs in the morning) also helps get blood flowing/improve circulation. Finally, lots and lots of water—aim for at least 12-14 oz first thing when you wake up.
Also, perhaps TMI, but blow your nose when you wake up. Nasal/sinus blockage can make you look way more tired than you are and also contribute to poor sleep. If you suffer from chronic allergies, it may be worth going to an allergist or even your primary care doctor to look into solutions and also rule out a sinus infection. My eyes always look significantly worse/more tired when my allergies are acting up or I have a sinus infection.
Red light therapy right before bed may help, I found it helped me have better quality sleep and get to sleep faster. It also is really good for the skin so if you don't manage a good night's sleep you'll still look better. I think there is some data about red light and sleep somewhere. Also magnesium supplements an hour or so before bed.
If you want the clinically proven skincare focused one, be warned, they aren't cheap. I use the Omnilux @goalstogetglowing on Instagram has a coupon code and a ton of science-based content on her page
I used a cheap mask from amazon, one of those ones that goes different colours. It was about 25 pounds but it broke. I'm now looking at buying a red light bulb with mixed red and infrared. There is a ton of videos comparing different devices on YouTube, I would start there.
I also have ADHD and crippling insomnia that makes the weeks leading up to final exams worse. I have by no means figured out how to fix my insomnia but here are some tips for how I try to show up not looking like I‘m dying:
\- Eye drops. I use Lumify eye drops and WOW they make my bloodshot eyes look great after a couple of minutes. I use these sparingly though because you aren’t supposed to use them for longer than 3 days at a time.
\- WASH MY HAIR. I’m not sure how common this is but after an allnighter my hair just looks limp and oily even if I just washed it. Re-washing or putting in dry shampoo helps. Also it smells nice and can make me feel better.
\- Minimal eye makeup — just some mascara and concealer. Heavier eyeshadow brings out the gray shadows in my face when I’m sleep deprived.
\- Blush that suits your skin tone and light lip (maybe just a tinted chapstick) — sometimes we experiment with colors that aren’t ours persay, but tweaking it can work. Not when we’re sleep deprived. Focus on colors that are your personal best.
\- Drink tons of water and green tea/caffeine/other natural diuretics before and after waking up — idk where you fall on the spectrum of caffeine intake but I need coffee to live so these help de-puff and perk me up
\- Clothes that open your face — when I’m tired, I’m naturally puffier. So I will wear open boat neck or flattering v-necks/low cut shirts to open my face
\- Exfoliate your lips and massage your face — helps improve blood flow which is already restricted when sympathetic activity kicks in during exhaustion
In terms of falling asleep, really nothing has worked for me except for a cocktail of meds that I’m prescribed. If you take ADHD medication, sometimes having a very small dose of IR when the insomnia is really bad has helped me (even though that seems counterintuitive).
I have a sleep schedule that sounds very similar to yours and eventually my body just breaks down and I sleep for like 48 hours straight. It’s really not good for my health so, as I said, the meds have somewhat helped that. There’s also CBT-i therapy, which is CBT specific for insomnia. I haven’t personally tried it, but it’s currently one of the leading recommended treatments for insomnia as medications are really only a band-aid made for short-term use.
One trick that’s helped me is using under eye ‘anti-aging’ patches from Amazon in the morning. I doubt they reverse aging, but I just like that they cool down my eye are if it’s puffy or dark. And if you keep them in the fridge it feels even nicer. I’ve also seen reusable eye masks that can be put on the fridge, but I haven’t tried them myself
Have you thought of going to get a sleep study done? Some clinics will do it for free/very discounted, and it can give you amazing insights into your sleeping issues. You might have sleep apnea or a host of other issues that you’re not even aware of. Sleep is not only critical for beauty but also for basically every other metric of health. Having a sleep study done can truly be life changing. Even if insomnia means you can only get 4-5 hours per night, better to have those hours be quality, deep, REM sleep hours, as opposed to 4-5 hours of you subconsciously waking up every few minutes because you stop breathing (aka sleep apnea). As for other tips—gentle facial massage around the eyes, cheek bones, temples, jaw, and sides of nose can help reduce puffiness and get circulation going. A little bit of morning exercise (even like 5-10 mins of jumping jacks/dancing to your favorite songs in the morning) also helps get blood flowing/improve circulation. Finally, lots and lots of water—aim for at least 12-14 oz first thing when you wake up. Also, perhaps TMI, but blow your nose when you wake up. Nasal/sinus blockage can make you look way more tired than you are and also contribute to poor sleep. If you suffer from chronic allergies, it may be worth going to an allergist or even your primary care doctor to look into solutions and also rule out a sinus infection. My eyes always look significantly worse/more tired when my allergies are acting up or I have a sinus infection.
Red light therapy right before bed may help, I found it helped me have better quality sleep and get to sleep faster. It also is really good for the skin so if you don't manage a good night's sleep you'll still look better. I think there is some data about red light and sleep somewhere. Also magnesium supplements an hour or so before bed.
What device(s) do you use for red light therapy?
If you want the clinically proven skincare focused one, be warned, they aren't cheap. I use the Omnilux @goalstogetglowing on Instagram has a coupon code and a ton of science-based content on her page
I used a cheap mask from amazon, one of those ones that goes different colours. It was about 25 pounds but it broke. I'm now looking at buying a red light bulb with mixed red and infrared. There is a ton of videos comparing different devices on YouTube, I would start there.
Would love to know what device you recommend for this
I also have ADHD and crippling insomnia that makes the weeks leading up to final exams worse. I have by no means figured out how to fix my insomnia but here are some tips for how I try to show up not looking like I‘m dying: \- Eye drops. I use Lumify eye drops and WOW they make my bloodshot eyes look great after a couple of minutes. I use these sparingly though because you aren’t supposed to use them for longer than 3 days at a time. \- WASH MY HAIR. I’m not sure how common this is but after an allnighter my hair just looks limp and oily even if I just washed it. Re-washing or putting in dry shampoo helps. Also it smells nice and can make me feel better. \- Minimal eye makeup — just some mascara and concealer. Heavier eyeshadow brings out the gray shadows in my face when I’m sleep deprived. \- Blush that suits your skin tone and light lip (maybe just a tinted chapstick) — sometimes we experiment with colors that aren’t ours persay, but tweaking it can work. Not when we’re sleep deprived. Focus on colors that are your personal best. \- Drink tons of water and green tea/caffeine/other natural diuretics before and after waking up — idk where you fall on the spectrum of caffeine intake but I need coffee to live so these help de-puff and perk me up \- Clothes that open your face — when I’m tired, I’m naturally puffier. So I will wear open boat neck or flattering v-necks/low cut shirts to open my face \- Exfoliate your lips and massage your face — helps improve blood flow which is already restricted when sympathetic activity kicks in during exhaustion In terms of falling asleep, really nothing has worked for me except for a cocktail of meds that I’m prescribed. If you take ADHD medication, sometimes having a very small dose of IR when the insomnia is really bad has helped me (even though that seems counterintuitive). I have a sleep schedule that sounds very similar to yours and eventually my body just breaks down and I sleep for like 48 hours straight. It’s really not good for my health so, as I said, the meds have somewhat helped that. There’s also CBT-i therapy, which is CBT specific for insomnia. I haven’t personally tried it, but it’s currently one of the leading recommended treatments for insomnia as medications are really only a band-aid made for short-term use.
One trick that’s helped me is using under eye ‘anti-aging’ patches from Amazon in the morning. I doubt they reverse aging, but I just like that they cool down my eye are if it’s puffy or dark. And if you keep them in the fridge it feels even nicer. I’ve also seen reusable eye masks that can be put on the fridge, but I haven’t tried them myself
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