You know how important good nutrition and exercise are for your health and beauty, but do you know sleep is crucial too?

When you doze you're getting more than rest. Sleep researchers say your body is healing and repairing itself. For this reason, dermatologists often suggest using your most "active" skin creams before bed. To avoid puffy, bloodshot eyes, dark under-eye circles and a pale washed-out complexion -- and for peak alertness and energy -- experts say you need eight hours of sleep a night.

Here are some tips from the Sleep Disorders Institute at New York's St. Luke's Roosevelt hospital to help you get the sleep you need:

Exercise every day. Even 20 minutes of walking can help keep stress hormones from interfering with your sleep.

Avoid large meals just before bedtime. An active digestive system can disrupt sleep.

Minimize light, noise and temperature extremes; your bedroom should be comfortably cool, about 68 degrees.

Don't read, watch television or work in bed. Use the bed only to sleep. This helps prevent you from developing sleep disorders.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine or other stimulants within four hours of bedtime.

你一定知道营养和锻炼对身体健康和面容十分重要，但是你知道睡眠的重要性吗？

打个盹要比单纯的休息效果好。睡眠研究者们说，这时，你的身体正在自我恢复。出于此原因，皮肤科专家们常常建议在睡前使用活性很强的护肤霜。专家们说，人每天的正常睡眠应达到8小时，这样才能保证头脑清醒，精力充沛，避免出现眼睛浮肿、充血，黑眼圈，和面色苍白等现象。

纽约圣卢克·罗斯福医院睡眠失调研究所提出了以下几个改善睡眠质量的方法：

要每天锻炼。即使徒步行走20分钟，也可以缓解压力，保证睡眠。

睡前不宜吃“大餐”。消化系统剧烈运动会影响睡眠。

不要在光线很强、噪音大、温度过高或过低的环境中睡觉，应保持卧室的凉爽舒适，68度（华氏）最佳。

不要在床上看书、看电视或工作。床只有一个用途--睡觉。这可以防止你失眠。

睡前四小时，不要喝咖啡或茶、吸烟或摄入其他具有兴奋作用的东西。

Vocabulary:

washed-out : 面色苍白而带倦容的

dark under-eye circles : 黑眼圈