Are you getting enough sleep each night? We all know how important getting a good night’s sleep is but what can inadequate rest do to your face? The experts at Simba have used AI to analyse characteristics of 2000 British adults who are getting less than seven hours sleep per night.
Younger adults can actually feel the effects of sleep deprivation on their skin more than others. With effects such as crows feet, sagging skin and dullness of skin tone.
Women and men across the UK were asked whether they slept less or more than 7 hours per night on average, this is the minimum the NHS recommends for adults.
They were then asked questions about the aesthetic condition of their face. Simba then utilised artificial intelligence to generate avatars based on the average national data.
By routinely sleeping more than the NHS recommended guidelines, females surveyed experienced significant improvements in the way they looked, including a reduction of light wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin.
Findings reveal complexion improved across 16 different variants from reduction in under eye bags, dehydrated skin, crows feet and drooping corners of the mouth.
Simba’s researchers found there was an improvement across 12 facial markers in male respondents who averaged more than seven hours of sleep each night, with the most notable benefits being a reduction in eye bags and dry flaky skin.
What can a lack of sleep do to your skin?
“When it comes to your complexion, messing with this natural regenerative cycle means your body doesn’t get sufficient time to repair your skin nightly. If you keep skipping sleep, it can speed up the appearance of premature signs of ageing”, says Lisa Artis.
Fine lines and wrinkles: “Collagen, a protein crucial for maintaining soft and smooth skin, gets produced when the body is in a relaxed state during the REM stage of sleep. Failing to reach this stage increases cortisol levels in the blood, causing harm to collagen and putting a stop to its production.” Explains Artis.
Skin elasticity: “Not getting enough sleep can lead to a decline in the release of the growth hormone somatotropin. This hormone is essential for repairing damaged cells and keeping the skin elastic.”
Dark circles: “In response to stress, the body directs blood flow to vital organs, notably the brain. Sleep deprivation increases blood flow to the brain, causing the veins under the skin around the eyes to swell, leading to a darkened appearance.”
Breakouts: “The body interprets extreme fatigue as a low-level emergency. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, typically released during emergencies, cause an excessive redirection of blood, oxygen, and nutrients away from your skin to prioritise major organs like the heart, brain, and kidneys. This elevation triggers changes in the oil glands, thickening the chemical composition of the oil and leading to pore blockage, which can result in unwanted pimples.”
Dullness of skin tone: “The reduction in blood flow due to insufficient sleep hampers cell turnover. The delay in delivering fresh cells to the epidermis means that old and damaged cells linger on the surface of your skin for a more extended period.”
Eye puffiness: “Tired skin retains water around the eyes, a clear indicator of insufficient sleep. Sleep deprivation disrupts blood flow, leading to fluid build-up around the eyelids and orbits. The thin skin beneath the eyes, combined with inadequate collagen formation, results in darker discoloration and accentuates underlying blood vessels.”
Aggravated skin: A 2020 study in which 40-year-old women slept four hours a night for six nights, which is the amount of sleep many people actually get. “The study demonstrated that there was an increased skin aggravation with each additional night of inadequate sleep.”
“The stress of sleeplessness often triggers an increase in cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone. Elevated cortisol levels are linked to heightened sebaceous oil production, leading to issues like acne, oily or greasy hair, and increased skin fragility.”
According to Simba’s data, levels of sleep deficiency are highest on average in Brighton (61.7%), Newcastle (60.44%) and Leeds (60.34%). On the flip side, residents in Bristol (58.5%), Plymouth (57.1%) and Nottingham (51.7%) are some of the most well-rested.
Just a two hour drive south findings show one in eight people in (13%) in Leeds sleeping fewer than 7 hours per night report sagging skin, under eye bags (17%) and crows feet (17%). While one in five say their skin can feel dehydrated (20%).
