Beauty Sleep is a Real Thing

Bensons sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock advises why sleep can help deliver you the best Valentine’s Day date night…

Looking for a way to spruce up your online dating profile?

The effects of bad night’s sleep are more visible than we think, with studies showing that we rate strangers as less physically attractive, and less appealing to socialise with, when they’ve had a sleepless night, than when we see well-rested photos of the same person.

Facial cues of tiredness can be quite subtle, and yet we can pick out a tired face in seconds – pale skin, swollen eyelids, narrower eyes, dark circles under the eyes, and a general lack of va-va-voom.

From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense – our brains instinctively look for healthy mates to help the survival of the species (not necessarily long term compatibility) – and being sleep deprived gives off a signal that something is not quite right.

You’re not your best self when you’re tired

Whether you’re looking for a soulmate, or an entertaining night out, avoiding the sleepier end of the dating spectrum could have its advantages…

Sleep deprivation makes us less optimistic and sociable, and worse at understanding and expressing emotions. We feel more irritable, anxious and low, making it harder for us to empathise with others.

If your other half has the warmth of a wet fish, sleep deprivation could be the explanation.

Our brains rely on sleep for verbal fluency and creativity, so the conversation is more likely to stall if you or your date were up late. In the workplace, sleep deprived leaders are rated as less charismatic than their sleep-enabled counterparts.

And you know those subtle touches which make you know someone is interested in you? Remembering your birthday, or your siblings’ names? Without sleep, short-term memory is more likely to let you down, and that endearing anecdote is more likely to end in confusion, followed by an awkward silence.

So, what can you do if you have a date this week?

1. Protect time for sleep. It might seem obvious, but protecting time for sleep is a must. This is not the week for a Netflix binge marathon. Stick to the same wake up time and sleep time, up until the big date night out.
2. Quieten your anxieties. The night before? To banish pre date anxiety, practice a  positive imagery technique. Rather than worrying about ‘what if it all goes wrong?’, practice walking through the ideal date. Spend 10 minutes or so before you go to sleep deliberately focusing on the positives. Imagine where you’ll go, what you’ll wear, what you’ll see, and how you’ll feel. Transport yourself to the ideal movie scene of your date. Even if you can’t sleep, at least you’ll get to linger in the imaginary company of your potential partner that little bit longer, and it will help your confidence on the big night out.
3. Try not to stress. If you really can’t sleep, don’t worry. Remind yourself that you’ve done much more important things on much less sleep. And yes, you might have slightly paler skin, and tired eyes, but if you keep a genuine smile on your face, you're date is unlikely to notice. If you're ever struggling to sleep for more than 15-20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing. Then, when you feel sleepy enough, get back into bed and sleep should come easier.

Can you spot the signs of sleep deprivation?

Facial cues of tiredness can be quite subtle, and yet we can pick out a tired face in seconds – pale skin, swollen eyelids, narrower eyes, dark circles under the eyes, and a general lack of va-va-voom! All of these symptoms add up to a decided lack of confidence when a big date night is on the cards.

Other impacts of sleep loss can include:

• Yawning
• Sleepiness
• Memory Loss
• Inability to concentrate
• Impulsive behaviour
• Falls
• Accidents
• Anger
• Irritability
• Impatience
• Lack of empathy
• Memory loss

And so, all in all beauty sleep is as much about being the most beautiful person you can be inside as it is out.

Want to make a good impression? Sleep well for a genuine smile.

Sleep deprivation is linked to a less optimistic and sociable outlook. It can also leave us ill-equipped to be understanding and express our emotions. When we're sleep-deprived, we tend to feel more irritable, which in turn makes it harder for us to empathise with others. But, being well-rested can reverse all of those negativities. So, if you want to get off to a great start on a first date, try to sleep well in the week leading up to it.

Dr Sophie Bostock

Sleep Expert

Sophie brings a wealth of expertise to the role having spent the last six years researching and championing the importance of sleep science in NHS and corporate settings. Sophie was responsible for improving access to the award-winning digital sleep improvement programme, Sleepio, as an NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellow. She has delivered hundreds of talks, including for TEDx and Talks@Google, and regularly features as a media sleep expert.
Read more from Dr Sophie Bostock