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Study reveals the face of sleep deprivation

Date:
August 30, 2013
Source:
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Summary:
A new study finds that sleep deprivation affects facial features such as the eyes, mouth and skin, and these features function as cues of sleep loss to other people.
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A new study finds that sleep deprivation affects facial features such as the eyes, mouth and skin, and these features function as cues of sleep loss to other people.

Results show that the faces of sleep-deprived individuals were perceived as having more hanging eyelids, redder eyes, more swollen eyes and darker circles under the eyes. Sleep deprivation also was associated with paler skin, more wrinkles or fine lines, and more droopy corners of the mouth. People also looked sadder when sleep-deprived than after normal sleep, and sadness was related to looking fatigued.

"Since faces contain a lot of information on which humans base their interactions with each other, how fatigued a person appears may affect how others behave toward them," said Tina Sundelin, MSc, lead author and doctoral student in the department of psychology at Stockholm University in Stockholm, Sweden. "This is relevant not only for private social interactions, but also official ones such as with health care professionals and in public safety."

The study, which appears in the September issue of the journal Sleep, was conducted at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Ten subjects were photographed on two separate occasions: after eight hours of normal sleep and after 31 hours of sleep deprivation. The photographs were taken in the laboratory at 2:30 p.m. on both occasions. Forty participants rated the 20 facial photographs with respect to 10 facial cues, fatigue and sadness.

According to the authors, face perception involves a specialized neuronal network and is one of the most developed visual perceptual skills in humans. Facial appearance can affect judgments of attributes such as trustworthiness, aggressiveness and competence.


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Materials provided by American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Tina Sundelin, Mats Lekander, Göran Kecklund, Eus J. W. Van Someren, Andreas Olsson, John Axelsson. Cues of Fatigue: Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Facial Appearance. SLEEP, 2013; DOI: 10.5665/sleep.2964

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American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Study reveals the face of sleep deprivation." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 August 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130830161323.htm>.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2013, August 30). Study reveals the face of sleep deprivation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130830161323.htm
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Study reveals the face of sleep deprivation." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130830161323.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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