6 ways getting more sleep will make you hotter

We always joke around about getting our beauty sleep, but it’s a real thing. It’s actually sort of crazy how many ways getting more sleep will make you look better. Getting sleep clears up all sorts of things in your body, so you not only look better, but you feel better, too. Actually, losing sleep is also really unhealthy for you. Recently, a study found that even one night of bad sleep can let proteins build up in your brain, and could be the cause of memory loss or dementia.

There are tons of ways sleep affects your health, though.

Losing sleep can make you stressed and dehydrated, which makes you eat more. So not only is your brain foggy, you’re eating more junk that can make you gain weight or lead to health problems. It’s not just weight gain, though. There are many ways getting enough sleep makes you look and feel like the best you.

1You get a glow.

According to Rebecca S. Robbins, M.D., Ph.D.,a researcher at Cornell University and sleep expert, sleep literally feeds your brain. She told Cosmopolitan, “During a good night’s rest, your body works to remove dead blood cells and dead brain cells, and clears the pathways for new synapses to take place so that new blood and brain cells can replace old ones.” It’s like exfoliating your insides!

2You don’t get dark circles.

Dark circles appear under your eyes when you lose sleep because your cells aren’t regenerating. But if you sleep, your blood vessels don’t dilate, so you don’t have the dark circles or need to use as much concealer in the morning.

3You stay hydrated.

Sleep helps you stay dehydrated, so if you’re not getting any, your skin will look ruddy and dry. Which is not a good look at all. But when you sleep, your skin is more likely to stay elastic and wrinkle-free. According to The Daily Mail, night creams are great for your skin, but if you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re just wasting your money on them. So go to bed early and slather on some cream to get the best results.

4You’re happier.

A study in the journal Sleep found that people who are sleep deprived are sadder, and depression can lead to a lack of sleep, so it’s a pretty unfair cycle. If you find that you’re feeling down or sad, one of the first things you should do is try to take note of how much and how well you’re snoozing. Even just a few more quality hours per night — which means no drinking or eating a big meal before bed — can significantly change your mood. If it doesn’t, or your thoughts are keeping you up, talk to a counselor or a therapist about it so you can figure out what’s up.

5People will like you more.

This is sort of crazy, but that same study found that sleep loss leads to turned down corners of your mouth and droopy eyes. Since facial expressions are how we communicate with people, this is not good! People will think you’re miserable, frowning, and not reacting to them, even if you mean well. Losing sleep can actually have social consequences, like your date thinking you’re kind of a jerk or prospective boss assuming you’re too much of a Debbie Downer for the job. Not a good look.

6Your hair gets shiny.

Your hair health wholly depends on your overall health. Getting enough sleep increases the levels of melatonin and cortisal, which means your hair is stronger and thicker. So you’ll have less breakage and better ponytails.

Basically, sleep is just as important for our bodies as water is. So make sure you’re getting enough shut eye — you’ll look and feel better.