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YOU KNOW those rare but golden occasions when you get a full eight hours of sleep and then wake up looking and feeling refreshed?

Well, there are some night-time beauty tricks that can make people think you’ve spent eight wonderful hours in dreamland. By doing some prep work, you will save time in the mornings. You may even incorporate these tricks into a relaxing 2017 bedtime routine. Best of all, you will honestly be able to say, ‘I woke up like this.’

Dermatologist Patricia Dunwell, DIY Jo and Associate Clinical psychologist Justine East, gave

Outlook some tips to help you develop your best rest list.

1. Hydrate

Hydrating does not necessarily mean drinking water, as drinking water before bed will interrupt your sleep by sending you to the bathroom. So, Dunwell recommends that you hydrate the skin and moisturise around the eyes and lips. “Use night-time moisturizers that will produce oil throughout the night. You can also use coconut, avocado or sesame oil to help create moisture for the skin, especially in a cool room,” she explained. Also, use mild cleansers that leave moisture to cleanse the face at night, and use cool water instead of warm to rinse the face.

2. Get your eight hours of sleep

Apart from sleeping a full eight hours, you have to ensure you maintain a rhythm and balance in your sleep schedule. For example, if you go to bed at 10 p.m. tonight, you should maintain that rhythm and sleep pattern for the remainder of the week.

3. Sleep on satin or silk

Sleeping on fabrics such as cotton, can cause wrinkles and, over time, these fabrics can also dry out the skin. Also, your pillow should not be too hard or too soft.

4. Sleep on your back

If you are a stomach sleeper, you might want to adjust your sleeping routine. This sleep position can cause sleep lines and build fluids around the eyes that will make your eyes puffy.

5. A touch of lavender

For the fifth tip, skin and hair care enthusiast DIY Jo recommends a touch of lavender as a sleeping aid. “It helps to relax and put you straight to sleep. A bit on a cotton ball fills the room and usually does the trick. Adding a few drops to your homemade scrub will help with your eczema and still give you that relaxing effect. This essential oil is the true definition of ‘a little goes a long way’,” she said.

Looking beautiful in the mornings is everything, but feeling just as beautiful will give you ‘life’, so here are a few pointers from East that will help rejuvenate your mind for another day.

6. Don’t take work home with you

This can be hard and unavoidable at times, so if you do, keep it outside of the bedroom. Leave only bedroom-related activities in the bedroom so that when you are in bed, your body knows that it’s getting to the time for you to shut down.

7. Have a period of reflection

Use this time to think and analyse your day. For example, think about what happened during the day. What were your achievements? What kind of day was it emotionally? Did you get upset/hurt about anything, and why/what caused you to feel that way? Did you respond appropriately, and why did you respond that way? Do you need to change your own expectations?

This is done to make you more aware of how you are feeling. We think it’s simple, but we don’t often take the time to process such things, and then we sometimes respond to situations inappropriately based on these unrecognised feelings. Try to let go of what is out of your control and what is trivial. Anything else can be dealt with at an appropriate time. There’s not much you can do from your bedroom anyway.

8. Utilise calming strategies

Calming strategies such as doing yoga, meditating/deep breathing, bubble bath/low music, having a glass of wine (not too close to bedtime as this can help put you to sleep faster, but affects the quality of your sleep). While taking a shower/bubble bath, try to visualise that you are washing away your burdens or troubles for that day. Figure out what works for you. Dancing away your troubles could also work.

9. Establish worry-free period

If you tend to worry a lot, try having a ‘period of worry’, such as 10 or 15 minutes before going to bed. Keep a notebook by your bed and quickly write down those thoughts. Then forget them. When you get up in the morning feeling refreshed, you can look at them with renewed energy.

10. Try a relaxing technique for sleep

Try visualising something peaceful or relaxing, such as the beach, night sky, floating on water or clouds, while in bed. This can make you relax more, and drift off into a peaceful sleep.