This morning you woke up after a restless night of sleep and a long week of work. You can’t help but shrug when you look in the mirror. Puffy eyes, dry-looking skin, fine wrinkles, dark circles … even the corners of your mouth are turned-down. Unfortunately, being fatigued isn’t just a feeling on the inside – your body gives away the telltale signs on the outside so that everyone you encounter today can see that you’re tired.

A recent report published in the September issue of Sleep shared the results of a study conducted by Tina Sundelin from the department of psychology at Stockholm University. The study revealed that looking sleepy can result in others making false character judgments. Those that observed someone who simply “looked sleepy” associated their look with irresponsibility and the concern of whether or not this sleepy person was competent or trustworthy.

So, is there a solution for “the sleepy face?” The solution for facial features that are directly related to fatigue is quite simple; it’s more sleep. Everyone should get at least 8 hours of sleep a day and if you aren’t, the effects will likely worsen over time. Sleep deprivation is linked to occupational injury, stress, decreased performance, memory and cognitive impairment and more in addition to what shows on your face.

However, it’s important to note that some facial features associated with sleep deprivation can’t necessarily be “slept away.” They may be associated with aging, which takes its own toll on the elasticity and health of your skin.

Some patients choose to undergo cosmetic surgeries such as eye lifts or facelifts to gain more permanent improvements for deep cheek folds or that “sunken” feeling in the face, both of which occur naturally with age. Less invasive solutions (in addition to getting enough sleep) include liquid face lifts, which use injectables and fillers to smooth out and/or “fill in” folds, wrinkles and marionette lines (the lines at the corner of your mouth that can make you appear sad).

We can’t stress enough that everyone is different and it takes a professional board certified plastic surgeon to help analyze your “facial health” and the health of your skin. If you currently feel as if you have a “sleepy face” day after day, and 8 hours of sleep each night does not seem to help, consider scheduling a consultation with Dr. Ali. We look forward to hearing from you.