Fatigue Can Make Us Look 5.4 Years Older In A Day

Aging: A huge fear among women worldwide. In fact, a recent study reported that women felt they looked 5.4 years older at the end of the day. Of course, I've had my share of long nights and going into the office bright and early, only to come home feeling defeated. But 5.4 years? I've never looked in a mirror and thought I looked that much older.

To be fair, the study surveyed women over 35, whose days are probably way more jam packed than mine. While we may not even look older to some people, the fact is that women feel that they look older. To test if skin really did look older, or if women just felt like it did, Kiehl's conducted a study of their own. 40 women participated, and were tested to see if their skin showed signs of increased fatigue (more lines, increased dullness, and rougher texture) eight hours after waking up, according to the Telegraph.

The result? Well, yes. Though only at 7.9%, skin really did look more fatigued after the end of the day. It's not just in our heads, it's in our skin. I know as a chronic worrier, getting a poor night's sleep can definitely add to this fatigue. And the more I worry about falling asleep, the less sleep I actually get. Which means mornings are tough, and days are even tougher. The coffee high? Doesn't really last long enough.

So how can we make sure we get the full eight hours we need to feel rested? Personally, I sleep with ear plugs, eye covers, and a fan on in the background. If you're a light sleeper, consider those options. When I'm really having trouble, I'll usually turn on a sleep machine app—they're free! Take a look at my toolkit for sleeping, below. You owe your skin a good rest.

iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Eye Mask, $35

Not only is this super comfortable and helps keep lights out, it's actually embedded with Curpon's Copper Oxide technology, which helps rejuvenate your skin. Win-win people!

Hearos Ear Plugs, $3.99

These puppies have the highest rating available for disposable earplugs. Stick 'em in, close your eyes, and drift to oblivion.

Sleep Pillow, $1.99

This app is my bff. Raindrops, thunder, crickets, you name it.

SleepFan, $1.99

Don't have an actual fan? Don't worry—there's an app for that.

Images: AlexVan/Pixabay, Nieman Marcus, Drugstore.com, Apple