DO YOU EVER FEEL like you wish you could multitask while you’re sleeping? Moisturizing your skin is a simple task you can do before bed that will reap some big benefits. From helping with acne to reducing the effects of aging, your bedtime moisturizing routine can make you look healthier and younger, even as you get older.

Do Skin Needs Change Over Time?

You probably already know that the skin of older people seems thinner and more translucent. People who spend a lot of time in the sun may notice that their skin develops pigmented spots or even elastosis, a condition that makes skin appear almost leathery.

As decades pass, the sebaceous glands generate less oil on the skin. This makes skin drier and can even aggravate conditions like eczema. While women mostly observe skin changes after menopause (and men much older), this process can start anytime during middle age. This makes moisturizing even more important to protect the delicate exterior skin layers. There is no reason to wait until the wrinkles start to appear.

When is the Best Time to Moisturize?

Since you spend the majority of your day out and about, and most of your time at night asleep, it follows that your moisturizing needs will be different between day and night.

During the day, your moisturizer should have some level of protection against UVA and UVB rays. Even cloudy or snowy winter days can make you prone to sun exposure or burns.

At night, you should use a moisturizer to help undo the damage during the day. Before bed, you can get away with using a thicker moisturizing cream with all the necessary ingredients, including retinoids.

What Does Moisturizing Before Bed Do?

Applying moisturizer before bed allows three things to happen:

1. Rest for your face

2. Repair for the activities you do throughout the day

3. Minimize the effects of aging

A nighttime moisturizing lotion with retinoids is an excellent choice for almost any age. Retinoids clear the pores, preventing acne from growing and helping to heal persistent acne problems. They are also useful in reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Retinoid use over a period of several months is known to promote the development of new blood vessels and collagen, as well as smoothing out sun-damaged skin.

How Do I Know Which Products I Need?

It is not enough to just slap some lotion on your face and head to bed, especially as you get older. Your needs will depend on your age and your skin’s overall condition, but there are a few standards anyone can follow:

• • Wash your face with a gentle cleanser before you go to bed, to remove makeup, oils and dirt that can cause acne.

• • Minimize use of exfoliating scrubs, particularly if your skin is delicate.

• • Use a moisturizer that contains retinoids and antioxidants to protect your skin overnight and throughout the day.

• • Select a lotion or cream that hydrates your skin cells, which lose more moisture at night. With regular application, you may notice significant improvement to your skin in weeks or months.

Time marches on, no matter what you do. If you don’t take advantage of opportunities to protect your skin now, you will struggle to cope with age-related skin conditions starting in middle age. With a good daily habit of moisturizing before bed using the right products, your skin will age with grace and poise.