Experts reveal terrifying images showing what can happen to your body if you don't get 7 hours sleep
We all need our beauty sleep, and by now, we know just how much is required to keep us ticking.
Personally, if I don't get eight hours of sleep, I feel groggy - although that consists of waking several times in the night to look after my son.
Anyway, experts have revealed what can happen to your body if you don't get seven hours of sleep.
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A survey of 2,175 adult Brits from UK-based mattress group Simba Sleep has revealed the extent of participants' sleeping habits, as well as their physical health and appearance.
The sleep tech firm then used advanced generative AI to create sleep avatars, demonstrating the effects of sleep on weight, bloating, and posture, based on the data - and the images are shocking.
It has detailed how sleep deprivation can lead to blotchy skin and bloating. Deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, a nonprofit partner of Simba, Lisa Artis said: "A lack of sleep doesn't just leave you tired - it shows up all over your body.
"When sleep is compromised reduced blood flow causes the skin to appear sallow and lack vibrancy, stripping it of its natural glow and vitality.
"Additionally, when you're sleep-deprived, cortisol levels - the stress hormone - rise, exacerbating inflammatory skin conditions, worsening conditions like eczema and psoriasis, leading to irritation, redness, and itching."
The answers from the survey were they used to show what the body looks like when you get seven or more hours sleep compared to less than seven.
Participants that recorded less than an average of seven hours sleep complained of having sensitive skin - 24 percent, while 16 percent stated that they had eczema, with 15 percent having experienced brittle fingernails, 10 percent had a dull skin tone, while seven percent recorded psoriasis.
There's a reason why sleep-deprived people may show common skin symptoms - that's because at night, our body clicks into overtime to 'regenerate and repair itself', Artis explained.
"During rest, blood flow increases, supporting its natural repair processes and promoting a healthy, radiant complexion," she added.
Long periods of restlessness, known as insomnia, can also increase the chances of you putting a weight on.
According to Michelle Drerup, of the Cleveland Clinic, 'most healthy people need seven to eight and a half hours'.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 need eight to ten hours sleep.
Joe Yates