Does Sleep Make You More Attractive?
Jul 23, 2015
We all know sleep is key to our physical and mental well-being - a good night's sleep can help fend off everything from stress to heart disease. But if that isn't enough to encourage you to switch off and get those crucial forty winks, perhaps vanity will.
Scientists have shown that beauty sleep is, in fact, a real thing.
A recent study, where participants were kept awake for 31 hours, shows that sleep deprivation really does take its toll on appearance. The physical effects of lack of sleep included swollen eyelids, bloodshot eyes, dark circles under their eyes, wrinkles, and droopy corners of the mouth. The effects were judged by an independent panel that compared photographs of 10 individuals taken before and after sleep deprivation.
“We confirmed that sleep-deprived people are perceived as more fatigued, less attractive, sadder and less healthy than when they are rested, confirming the colloquial notion of beauty sleep,” say, researchers, who published their findings in the journal Sleep.
Researchers suggest that lack of 'beauty sleep' may have consequences reaching far beyond aesthetics. Recent studies have found that health is most definitely tied to a good night’s rest. Some of the health side effects include:
What are some of the perks of a good night’s rest?
Glad you asked! Here are just a few of the benefits of sleeping well…
- You'll Look Prettier
Sleeping Beauty had this one right: regular shuteye alone actually makes you look prettier, according to a 2010 study published in the British Medical Journal.
The researchers took photos of 23 people after a normal night's sleep of eight hours and after a period of sleep deprivation. Then, a group of 65 people rated each set of photos for perceived health, attractiveness, and tiredness.
- You’ll Eat Less
Both experts and scientific data have long connected lack of sleep with increased hunger and weight gain -- and now a recent study has quantified the phenomenon. The findings, presented last month at an American Heart Association meeting, suggest that otherwise healthy people may eat more than 500 additional calories a day when they're sleep deprived, the Huffington Post reported when the study first came out.
- You'll Make Better Decisions
Stumped? You may want to sleep on it.
A study published last year in the Journal of Sleep Research found that people make smarter calls after a good night's sleep. The researchers asked 54 young adults to play a card game aimed to imitate casino gambling. Those who were well-rested made decisions that resulted in greater winnings four times more often than those who were sleep deprived
- You Could Learn Better
You may be conditioned to think that the best way to learn is to stay up all night cramming, but the truth is that you'd be better off getting some sleep.
Several studies have linked rest with increased performance on learning-related tasks, and now a new study has found that the timing of sleep may matter, too.
If you are not getting a good night's rest, try to determine the cause of it. Stress? Technology around you at night (cell phone, television, etc...), your partner tossing and turning, or maybe your mattress is giving you trouble.
If it is caused by your partner tossing and turning or your mattress - we can help. Feel free to visit any of our nearby locations and let a trained Sleep Consultant help you find your dream bed.
