Alarming images show what happens to your face if you don’t get seven hours sleep

Yeah, sure, you’re an absolute machine and can function on just a few hours’ sleep. We all believe you don’t get tired. Obviously.

But let’s be real, going through your days with little sleep is rough and it can have effects on your health.

Experts previously revealed how a lack of good sleep can increase the risk of high blood pressure as well as several other things that can happen to your body.

While there aren’t any official guidelines because we’re all different, the NHS says a healthy adult usually needs around seven to nine hours of sleep.

And it’s not just your energy levels and health among the things effected but even just the way your face appears.

A bad night's sleep can leave you feeling rough. (Getty stock image)

Alarming images produced using AI by Simba Sleep show what happens to your face if you don’t get a good seven hours of sleep.

The ‘sleep science’ company surveyed 2,000 people from the age of 18 and over to see how their sleep patterns showed on their face.

And using the data, the Sleep Deprivation Avatar created images of people with under and over seven hours sleep.

Over 55s seem to suffer the most dramatic effects to their appearance but before you get cocky, nobody’s safe.

Young people had the closest correlation between bad sleep and ‘bad skin’, as 20 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds reporting dry and flaky skin after less than seven hours of sleep.

Different age groups saw different effects. (Simba Sleep)

This goes down to 17 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds and only 13 percent for older age groups.

As you can see from the images, common signs of a bad nights sleep also include those classic dark circles, fine lines, breakouts of spots, dullness and puffy eyes.

Lisa Artis, Deputy CEO of Simba’s charity partner The Sleep Charity explained the important of sleep for your skin.

“At night, your skin does important work like renewing and repairing itself, and making new cells,” she said.

Getting a good night's sleep is important. (Simba Sleep)

“Messing with this natural regenerative cycle means your body doesn't get sufficient time to repair your skin nightly.”

Artis added that the human body sees a bad night of sleep as a ‘low-level emergency’ and therefore triggers an increase of hormones such as cortisol.

Then, this ‘stress response’ directs blood and nutrients away from the skin and towards vital organs. So, because of this lack of blood, we often suffer dark circles and nasty spots in the morning.

"A good night's sleep is not just for feeling refreshed; it's also crucial for your overall health and skin well-being,” she added.

Topics: Health, Sleep, Lifestyle, Science, AI

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_