Does Beauty Sleep Work?What Studies Show About Sleep and Skin
SkinArticleA bad night shows on your face, and studies back that up. In Swedish experiments, people photographed after a night without sleep were rated as more tired, less healthy and slightly less attractive, with darker under-eye circles, paler skin and more fine lines. A US study of 60 women found poor sleepers had more signs of skin aging and slower skin barrier recovery. Here is what the research shows.
In this article
“Beauty sleep” sounds like an old saying, but researchers have put it to the test.
What one bad night does
In a Stockholm sleep lab, 23 young adults were photographed after a normal 8-hour night, and again after 31 hours awake following a short night.1 65 strangers rated the photos, shown in random order.1
After the sleepless night, people were rated:1
- More tired
- Less healthy
- Slightly less attractive
Which features give it away
A follow-up study had observers rate photos of 10 people, five of them women, after normal sleep and after a sleepless night.2 The sleep-deprived faces showed:2
| Feature | After a sleepless night |
|---|---|
| Eyelids | More hanging2 |
| Eyes | Redder and more swollen2 |
| Under the eyes | Darker circles2 |
| Skin | Paler, more fine lines2 |
| Mouth | More droopy corners2 |
They also looked sadder.2 Rashes and tense lips didn’t change.2
Long-term poor sleep and skin aging
A US study compared 60 women: poor sleepers getting 5 hours or less, and good sleepers getting 7 to 9 hours.3
- Good sleepers had fewer signs of skin aging that come from within, rather than from sun.3
- After a test that stripped the outer skin layer, good sleepers’ skin barrier recovered 30% better by 72 hours.3
- Good sleepers’ skin recovered faster from redness after UV light.3
- Good sleepers felt better about their looks.3
This was a comparison of two groups, not a trial, so it can’t prove poor sleep caused the differences.
What this means for you
- One bad night shows, but in these studies the changes were modest.1
- Chronic short sleep went with more skin aging and a weaker skin barrier.3
- Protect sleep like part of your skin care.
- Treat sleep problems at the source; see why can’t I fall asleep at night? and the 3am wake-up.
Try: “My skin looks dull and tired, and I’m only sleeping five hours most nights. Should I focus on my sleep first, and is there anything for my skin barrier?”
Skin, Head to Toe covers the skin barrier in Chapter 5, “Oily by Noon, Tight by Bedtime,” in a section called “The Barrier, and the Three Jobs a Moisturizer Does.” Its Skin Log takes a same-light photo every two to four weeks, so you can see whether better sleep shows up on your face. See the book.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. See a doctor for ongoing insomnia, loud snoring or breathing pauses, or daytime sleepiness that affects driving. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- BMJ (via PubMed Central), 2010Beauty sleep: experimental study on the perceived health and attractiveness of sleep deprived people (opens in a new tab)abcd
- Sleep journal (via PubMed Central), 2013Cues of fatigue: effects of sleep deprivation on facial appearance (opens in a new tab)abcdefghi
- Clinical and Experimental Dermatology (abstract via PubMed), 2015Does poor sleep quality affect skin ageing? (opens in a new tab)abcdef
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