If there was ever a sign to get your beauty sleep, this is it.
A British bedding and mattress company has teamed up with a self-described “sleep evangelist” to illustrate what our bodies may look like in 25 years if regularly don’t get enough sleep — and it ain’t pretty.
With help from Dr. Sophie Bostock, Bensons for Beds created dramatic digital renderings of what a female body could look like in 2050 if she typically gets around six hours of sleep a night.
Experts consistently recommend getting seven to nine hours a night, yet 57% of Americans said they need more sleep in a 2024 Gallup poll.
In New York City, the average amount of sleep reported per night is six hours and 36 minutes, according to a recent survey — and it’s as low as six hours and 18 minutes in Staten Island.
And while we all know being tired doesn’t feel good in the short-term, it can also do lasting damage, as illustrated by “Hannah,” Bensons for Beds’ startling model.
Hannah’s features — hunched posture, thinning hair, aged skin — were created using academic studies on the impact of getting too little sleep, and the effects offer a stark warning.
“Hannah is a thought-provoking illustration of the holistic impact that sleep has on maintaining overall health. Studies show that prolonged sleep deficiency can put you at a higher risk for conditions that may impact the heart — including obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Bostock.
Sagging skin, baggy eyes, droopy mouths
Research has shown that sleep issues can be to blame for some visible signs of skin aging. One 2015 study found that people with chronic poor sleep quality had not just more signs of aging, but also diminished skin barrier function and lower satisfaction with appearance.
Over time, not getting enough sleep — or sleeping badly — can lead to fine lines and wrinkles, red and swollen eyes, under-eye bags, dark circles, and drooping at the corners of the mouth.
Researchers in Stockholm even found that people who don’t get enough sleep were perceived as less attractive and healthy.
Hair
This one’s a two-way street: Sleep disorders have been shown to lead to alopecia, while that alopecia can in turn cause stress and lead to poor sleep.
Poor sleep has been linked to greasier hair, too — our bodies produce more cortisol, the stress hormone, when we don’t get rest, including on our scalps.
Back and shoulder pain
Bad sleep has been repeatedly been associated with back pain — and of course, that pain then makes it harder to get good sleep.
For Hannah, that means an unflattering hunched posture in addition to her pain.
Stomach
Not getting enough shut-eye has been linked to visceral fat, the belly fat that builds up around vital organs and has been tied to metabolic disease and insulin resistance.
The hormones in charge of hunger, leptin and ghrelin, are also reduced — which means appetite goes up.
Bensons notes that being tired is also a reason someone might exercise less, and for Hannah, that meant she gained “significant weight around her tummy.”
Muscle atrophy and cankles
Continued loss of sleep is a “catabolic stressor,” which means it could lead to metabolic dysfunction and loss of muscle mass.
Even just a few nights of sleep restriction have been shown to decrease muscle protein synthesis rates in men. In Hannah, that’s shown by muscle atrophy in her arms and legs.
Hannah was also given swollen ankles, a sign of heart disease — which can also be caused by bad sleep habits.
Worst case scenario
Not getting enough sleep can also lead to memory loss and poor immunity, meaning a higher likelihood of catching a cold or the flu.
It’s also associated with impaired cognitive functioning, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart and kidney issues, depression, and increased inflammation, which can lead to different kinds of chronic health conditions and diseases.
“Hannah is a worst-case scenario prediction of what could happen to somebody if they do everything badly in terms of poor sleep routine and poor mattress support,” said Lisa Richards, Marketing Director at Bensons. “The reason we wanted to create this model was to make people think more carefully about their overall sleep experience. Using this visual makes it easier for people to identify with the issue and the key signs.”
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