According
to a new study by researchers at Stockholm University, there really is such a
thing as beauty sleep. People who don’t get enough sleep actually appear much less attractive to others, for several reasons.
The research involved 25 volunteers who agreed
to be photographed after having had two consecutive nights of good sleep, and
then again after having only 4 hours sleep for only TWO NIGHTS in a row.
122 members of the public were then asked to
look at the photos, giving each person pictured a rating for attractiveness and
health – and a response to the question: “How much would you like to socialize
with this person?”
The
volunteers were perceived to be less attractive, and less healthy – and the raters
were less inclined to socialize with people who hadn’t had enough sleep.
Chronic lack of sleep can also be dangerous,
causing such things as low blood sugar, relentless fatigue, anxiety, and
depression, which can lead to abusing alcohol, food, or drugs as an attempt to
deal with the symptoms.
There are several likely reasons for this.
For example, sleep deprivation causes a
decrease in blood flow to your face, making your skin looking drab, ashen, or
lifeless. And skin makes new collagen (which prevents
sagging) when you sleep.
Getting
only 5 hours of sleep a night can lead toTWICE as many fine lines as if you
slept 7 or 8 hours!
Poor sleep also leaves skin drier, which can
make lines more visible.
Add to this the puffy eyes and dark circles associated
with too little sleep, and the research makes perfect sense.
Lead researcher Dr. Tina Sundelin said, “People
who look more attractive are presumed to have better social qualities
(according to a lot of previous research), so it’s perhaps not surprising that
others want to socialize with these [well rested] people.
When it comes to tiredness, there might be
other factors at play. Perhaps, those who look tired are expected to be poor
company (less attentive, less sociable) or perhaps they may even constitute
risk, since lack of sleep has been associated with making more mistakes.
Perhaps it’s a combination of these factors.”
There
are many known side effects from getting too little or poor quality sleep.
Daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of concentration, poor memory, and
suppressed immune function, just to name a few.
What to do if you’re not getting enough sleep? A
few small changes can help you get you the zzzz's you need.
·
Create a sleep routine so that you’re are in
bed and ready for sleep at the same time every night.
·
Avoid all artificially lit screens (like
televisions, iPads, and iPhones) right before bedtime.
·
Shield artificial light properly in the bedroom
(for example, by turning your alarm so that the light faces away from you),
and use light at night only when it’s absolutely needed.
·
Essential oils can be extremely helpful in
getting a solid nights sleep. If you’d like more information on this, just text
or email me.
·
If your brain has already established a
night-owl routine that you’re having trouble breaking, I highly recommend audio-sessions
to help you such as Planning a Restful Night’s Sleep and Going with
the Flow Day and Night, both of which are found in the Healthy Sleep
Habits series (found in the Health category).
You can try these audios and many more by
taking advantage of our FREE 7-Day Trial.
And if you want to extend it to 30 days, all you have to do is send me a text or email, and I will extend it at no cost or obligation.
I use both of these last 2 tips – just email or text
me for more information.
And once you’re sleeping like a baby - be sure
to thank the researchers at Stockholm University for giving you a compelling
reason to get your beauty sleep every single night!
Dianna Whitley
(714) 331-6699
diannawhitley@gmail.com
