Beauty Sleep--Truth or Myth?
I often joke about needing my "beauty sleep," but researchers in Sweden have found evidence that we really do need sleep to keep us looking young, vibrant and attractive.
People kept awake for 31 hours developed droopy, swollen eyelids, bloodshot eyes and dark circles under their eyes, according to the researchers, who relied on objective assessments provided by 40 observers who compared photographs of 10 people before and after sleep deprivation. It seems that sleep-deprived people are perceived as more fatigued, less attractive, sadder and less healthy than those viewed when they are rested. The sleep-deprived also appeared to have more facial wrinkles, a consequence of poor sleep unverified by science until now -- at least in humans. Rats deprived of sleep quickly develop nasty skin lesions on their paws and tails. The 10 sleep-deprived subjects said they felt mentally fatigued, and they developed a droopy mouth that the observers thought indicated sadness. Sleep loss is indeed related to a negative mood. We also seem to be more emotional in general when we don't get enough sleep. The research provides strong support for the folk wisdom that good sleep improves facial appearance. In fact, a 2010 paper in the British Medical Journal actually carried the title "Beauty Sleep: experimental study on the perceived health and attractiveness of sleep-deprived people." That study, like the recent study in the journal Sleep, also concluded that sleep-deprived people look less attractive and less healthy than they do when well-rested. So ladies and gents, as you know here at Cool-jams we're in the business to help you sleep better. We also would like to recommend getting at least 7-8 hours a day to look and feel better. Happy Sleeping!
