Passport pictures are invariably freaky, but a little beauty sleep increases the chances you won’t look like Frankenstein meets the wolfman.
The photo test
Researchers in Sweden, have validated the idea that getting good night’s sleep is the secret to good passport photos.
The researchers took photos of several people on two different occasions.
- Following a peaceful night’s sleep
- Following a night where sleep was in short supply
These photos were then shown to other people, who were asked to evaluate the overall attractiveness and health status of the person in the picture.
Only after midday
The photos weren’t taken as they rolled out of bed to avoid scaring the observers.
Not sure how you start the day, but early morning images of me would definitely be overwhelming under ALL circumstances. I think it is the hair. Every bit is going in a different direction, leaving the impression that I rolled out of bed and stuck my finger in an electric socket.
In this study, the photos were taken at a civilized time, between 2 and 3 pm. The participants were allowed to do basic grooming i.e. brush their hair and teeth but no allowed to disguise anything by applying makeup. When they posed for the photo, they were required to adopt a “relaxed”, neutral facial expression.
The photo doesn’t lie
The stunning thing, the casual observer could spot whether the person had got their required dose of sleep or not !
So, moral of the story is try to catch enough zees to avoid looking like something the cat dragged in when you stand before the camera. And if your’re having a mug shot done, for some or other official document, only do it if you’ve had a good night.
Beauty sleep: experimental study on the perceived health and attractiveness of sleep deprived people. BMJ, 341 : 6614; John Axelsson, Tina Sundelin, Michael Ingre, Eus J W Van Someren, Andreas Olsson, Mats Lekander.Subscribe to E-spoons, our free monthly e-zine, to learn more about getting your body chemistry balanced for better health.
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Further reading
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| Beware your makeup could turn you into a beast not a beauty | Men who accessorize with red have sex appeal | The fountain of youth pumps out tomato puree and carrot soup |
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My name is Dr Sandy Evans, I am a modern day alchemist, trained as a pharmacologist, I love to help people use chemicals to produce gold performances.