Beauty Rest Redefined: How Body Image Influences Our Sleep
One cross-sectional study of over 500 adolescent girls followed over time found that body size overestimation and dissatisfaction are associated with more screen time and less optimal sleeping habits.
LISTEN NOW: Season 3, Episode 1 – Beauty Rest Redefined: How Body Image Influences Our Sleep
Body Image and Cutaneous Body Image Defined:
Body image is the subjective picture of individuals of their own body, irrespective of how their body looks. Body image is a complex construct comprising thoughts, feelings, evaluations, and behaviors related to one’s body and is a core component of several serious and potentially tragic eating disorders. Cutaneous body image refers to how individuals perceive their hair, skin, and nails.
Body Image Misperception – Why Should You Care?
Body image concerns are a global issue. The prevalence of self-loathing as a result of appearance is staggering.
More than 1000 participants were studied in the United States for 15 years. By the time they entered Young Adulthood, half of the females (50.0%) and more than a quarter of the males (25.9%) were dissatisfied with their bodies.
Chronic Sleep Deprivation is at Epidemic Levels Globally
Our species is suffering from a lack of sleep. The rise of technology has led to around-the-clock work schedules, international travel, and constant interaction with electronic devices like TVs, computers, and smartphones. This progress, however, comes with a cost to our health and well-being, primarily through its detrimental effects on the quality, amount, and timing of our sleep. To cope, we often resort to unhealthy behaviors such as physical inactivity and excessive consumption of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, which, in turn, only worsen our sleep quality and further deprive us of adequate rest.
At the highest risk for chronic sleep deprivation are our most vulnerable – our adolescents and teens. In the United States, ~60% of middle school students and >70% of high school students do not get enough sleep on school nights. These statistics are nothing short of incredibly disturbing.
The Link Between Body Image and Sleep
Quality sleep involves perceiving sleep as sufficient in duration and restorative in nature, and its importance cannot be overstated. Research shows a complex relationship between body image and sleep.
Our adolescents and teens are the most sleep-deprived and happen to be growing up in a world of social media, which can be a double-edged sword. While it may allow for socialization among friends, enhance learning, and enable meeting new people with similar interests, it can also lead to negative perceptions of body image, cyberbullying, depression, and lack of sleep. Regardless of which side of the fence your opinion lies, technology is exacerbating the problem of sleep deprivation, and this influences self-perception.
One cross-sectional study of over 500 adolescent girls followed over time found that body size overestimation and dissatisfaction are associated with more screen time and less optimal sleeping habits. Body image dissatisfaction is also strongly correlated with symptoms of depression in adolescents, and depression is frequently accompanied by poor sleep.
Conversely, sleep deprivation negatively impacts not only how we perceive ourselves but also how others perceive us. For example, sleep-deprived faces are rated as less attractive, less healthy, and more tired relative to when well-rested. Insomniacs are also more likely to perceive their own face as significantly more tired than a baseline neutral photograph, whereas normal sleepers perceive themselves as more alert.
For instance, adolescents with body dissatisfaction tend to have poorer sleep habits (Bordeleau et al., 2022). Adult women’s perception of aging and sleep quality shows a bidirectional relationship; poor sleep can lead to a negative perception of one's appearance (Gupta et al., 2004; Sundelin et al., 2013). Studies also link negative body image with stress and anxiety, subsequently affecting sleep quality. A study on undergrad women revealed that sleep could be a wellness tool that positively impacts body image perception (Hao et al., 2023).
Putting It All Together
Body image distortion is multifaceted, influenced by factors like trauma, societal pressures, and PTSD. Women’s bodies endure a lifetime of changes, all of which are normal phenomena of aging. The importance of self-acceptance for mental well-being and better sleep quality cannot be overstated.
Check out Season 3, Episode 1 of the Sleep Is My Waking Passion podcast to learn some of Marissa Sharkey, RD’s tips for resetting your body image. Mindset is key to improving your sleep and your self-image.
