Sleep Position and Wrinkles: Does How You Sleep Affect Your Skin?

July 10, 2026

We often hear about beauty sleep, but researchers have also looked at how the position you sleep in might affect your skin over time.

What the research found

A paper in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal described what the authors called sleep wrinkles: lines caused not by facial expression but by mechanical compression, shear and stress forces on the face during side or front sleeping (Anson et al., 2016, PMID 27329660). These differ from expression wrinkles in their cause, location and pattern.

What this means in practice

Sleeping on your side or front presses the face into the pillow night after night, and over many years this repeated distortion may contribute to certain lines. Sleeping on your back avoids that compression. A silk or satin pillowcase can reduce friction and feels lovely, though that is a comfort point rather than a proven anti-ageing fix.

Sensible habits

If back sleeping is comfortable for you, it avoids facial compression.
Keep a simple evening routine to support your skin overnight.
Remember the bigger levers, daily sunscreen and well-studied actives, matter most.

At Verdo we stock the Medik8 Advanced Night Restore and the Medik8 Total Moisture to support your skin while you sleep.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. The studies cited are from peer-reviewed journals and are provided for educational context. Individual results vary. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional or dermatologist before changing your routine. Verdo Cosmetics makes no therapeutic claims about the products or services mentioned.

Frequently asked questions

Can your sleep position cause wrinkles?

Researchers describe sleep wrinkles as lines caused by mechanical compression, shear and stress on the face during side or front sleeping, distinct from expression wrinkles (Anson et al., 2016). Over years, this repeated distortion may contribute to certain lines.

Is sleeping on your back better for your skin?

Back sleeping avoids pressing the face into the pillow, which sidesteps the compression linked to sleep wrinkles. Only do it if it is comfortable for you, since good sleep overall matters most.

Do silk pillowcases prevent wrinkles?

A silk or satin pillowcase reduces friction and feels gentle on skin and hair, but reducing friction is a comfort benefit, not a proven way to prevent wrinkles.

What matters more for skin ageing than sleep position?

Daily broad spectrum sunscreen and well-studied ingredients like retinoids and vitamin C are the bigger, better-evidenced levers. Sleep position is a small, sensible extra.

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