Lack of sleep knocks your social appeal, says research

Conclusion Most people who have looked in the mirror after a sleepless night won't be surprised to hear that a poor night's sleep makes you look less attractive and healthy. It may not be particularly welcome news that your appearance could also put people off talking to you. But the study results show only a very small impact of sleep deprivation on people's perceptions of appearance. While the results are statistically significant, it's hard to know how you would notice a 2% drop in a stranger's willingness to socialise with you. And studies like this, which include only a limited demographic (in this case Swedish students aged around 22, mostly white) may have little relevance to anyone who doesn't fit that profile. More important are the known health effects of sleep problems. An occasional late night is very different from persistent difficulties in getting to sleep or staying asleep. Regular poor sleep can raise your risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity, and is linked to mental health problems like anxiety and depression. There are plenty of things you can try yourself to increase your chances of getting a good night's sleep. But if you've tried these and you're still struggling to sleep, talk to your GP. Good ways to sleep well include: regular sleep hours for going to bed and getting up keeping your bedroom calm, cool, comfortable and quiet taking regular exercise, but not late in the evening cutting down on caffeine avoiding too much alcoh...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news