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Why You Need Your Beauty Sleep More Than Ever!

29 June, 2017 - 10:45pm by - Head Pixie | 16 Comments

By BR Kellie

I really did not need to read the latest research on sleep and lack of it. Like, really.

After months of broken sleep, of waking up for hours in the middle of the night, or sleeping through for a few hours only to wake in the early hours of the day when even the birds are still alseep, I did not need to know that research has shown that people who do not get enough sleep are considered less good looking than those who get a decent amount.

Turns out, according to this study published on Royal Society Open Science, beauty sleep really is a real thing. So how'd they figure it out?

25 people who usually slept 'normally' were recruited for the study - though they didn't know what was being studied. For two nights in a row they had to sleep for around eight hours, photos were then taken of them, with one chosen by someone not aware of the study that they felt best represented them. The people were then put on restricted sleep of four hours for two days. And again photos were taken, and a photo chosen by someone unaware of the study's purpose.

122 'raters' were then chosen, who also had no idea about the study, and they had to look at the photos and rate the faces based on attractiveness, trustworthiness, sleepiness and how much they'd like to hang out with the person in the picture. 

The results are disheartening for those of us who are prone to sleep disturbances. The raters found those who were sleep restricted were less attractive, less healthy looking, and the raters were less likey to want to socialise with them. 

Awesome.

The good news? Well, even if you're this side of buggered, people aren't likely to think you're any less or more trustworthy than they would if you were getting eight solid hours and feeling like a box of fluffies. So that's something I guess.

So what's a sleep-deprived girl to do? Well after decades of dodgy sleep I have quite the bag of tricks...

Cut out caffeine after 3pm. 12pm if you can. The earlier the better. 

No TV or screens in the bedroom.

Keep the bedroom dark as you can - on the odd (NAUGHTY) occasion that I've had my laptop charging under my bed you can guarantee that little green light blaring onto my bedroom wall will wake me up at 3am. 

Try drinking warm milk before bed. Better - add in Horlicks. Don't know what's in that stuff, but during a light sleep disturbance pattern it can keep me asleep all night. BUT don't drink it too soon before bed or you'll wake up in the middle of the night needing to pee.

Chamomile tea - also good a bit before beddy byes.

Spritz a lavender spray on your pillow.

When you're in bed and can't get to sleep scrunch every part of your body up tight as you can, then release it section by section until you're all nice and relaxed. 

Another thing I don't understand but during the writing of this article I've discovered works wonders for me are magnesium tablets. Apparently it's a muscle relaxant and can help with sleep disturbances. And this is what helped me most recently sleep through the night. But as always, before you shove magnesium, or anything medicinal for that matter, down your throat talk to a pharmacist/doctor/trained medical person first.

In fact, if your sleep patterns are of real concern do talk to a medical professional - because while according to that study good sleep might make us more attractive to other people, more importantly it helps up function physically and mentally - so the better sleep we have the better we can rock our own personal parties.

So do tell... are you a light sleeper? Do you find it hard to get a few good solid hours? What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeve? Sharing is caring!

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Comments

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24th April, 2023

I often take hours to get to sleep and then have a heavy sleep. I have tried magnesium and zinc tablets and sometimes they are helpful.

8th February, 2020

Well that's reason enough for me to try to get some more sleep. TRY being the operative word. I think I cope on a lot less sleep than some people. I'm a bit of a night owl so think I would struggle to actually get to sleep if I went too early.

2nd July, 2017

I'm a very light sleeper and I'm not a coffee drinker. In winter it's even worse due to the cold. My husband bought me this big fleece blanket that I use along with my duvet. I found I'm sleeping much better and I wake up less during the night. I still have to find a way to get a bit more sleep in the summer though.

2nd July, 2017

Ever since I'm running early in the morning I've been able to get to sleep earlier. I used to be up late but now I can barely get to sleep.

1st July, 2017

I have good nights and bad nights. If I've had a couple of bad nights in a row I take one or two 5HTP with magnesium, or some serotone tablets, and sleep like a baby. I'm not surprised poor sleep makes us less good looking - it certainly makes me less good-feeling, then less resistant to bad food, exercise avoidance etc...

30th June, 2017

I feel there's just not enough hours in the day :-( I don't get enough sleep but I function quite well the next day - I have makeup to mask the unattractiveness these "raters" are talking about haha. Unfortunately I don't have any good tips because even when I have caffeine I can still nod off.

30th June, 2017

My 7month old gives me lack of sleep and baby brain all the time

30th June, 2017

For me it's the extension cords that have that glowing red light and the night light in the hallway put there so people don't bump into stuff. My circulation is pretty poor so I rely on pillows under my arms and between my knees. Cold feet are a huge issue most of the year so I go to sleep with a hot water bottle on my feet. My main tip is that if you wake up early just get up and move your bedtime up that night if possible, trying to fall asleep again and then waking up when your alarm goes off can leave you more groggy and tired.

30th June, 2017

I love sleeping, it is one of those amazing restorative feel good parts of like that I don't get enough off. I would say I average out 6 hours a night. Nowhere near good enough but I make it work for me mostly...

30th June, 2017

Sleep what's that? I have to grab it when I can. I only dream of getting a straight 6-8 hour sleep uninterrupted. Too much to do not enough hours and my brain just never switches off when I want it too.

30th June, 2017

I'm a strange one - I go through cycles of insomnia. Every couple of months (or more, depending on the stress of life etc), I have a week or two of sleeping an hour or two a night, until I finally crash and my body seems to reset itself.

30th June, 2017

Sorry, no sorry, but I'm one of those people who rarely struggles to get to sleep - might happen once a month or less. One thing I try not to do these days though, is mess with my sleep cycle - try to go to bed at roughly the same time & I try not to sleep in too late. I will lie in bed and do iPad stuff for hours on a Sat/Sun mornings though.

30th June, 2017

Omg I haven't slept right since I stopped breathing in my sleep in hospital due to a bad narcotic reaction after surgery almost a year ago. I need to try some of these remedies. I feel like I look older too with all the lack of sleep!

30th June, 2017

I usually sleep well but have stages when my mind is busy of not being able to switch off . Lavender oil does help and magnesium tablets but mainly I try to relax and at least enjoy being snug in bed even if I am not asleep. Stressing about not being able to sleep makes it harder to relax.

29th June, 2017

I used to get insomnia so bad. It was awful not being able to function properly during the day. I was prescribed sleeping pills which I really don't recommend. I can't drink caffeine after 2pm. I make sure to exercise daily. I drink be sleepy tea at night and find reading really helps me relax. I sleep really well now thank goodness. But I am definitely a night owl.

Pat17
24th April, 2023

Yes I identify with what you have said . I tried sleeping tablets and felt worse during the day so soon stopped that. I do read for a couple of hours before bed too.

MareeB
1st July, 2017

I went through something similar when my Graves Disease kicked off Jess.When i finally got diagnosed and started the hormone blocking medication I slept like a baby.

MareeB
1st July, 2017

I also started dreaming again which improved my mood dramatically. I guess that's tied in with getting proper REM sleep though.

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