By Real Age

You don’t need eye cream, injections, or plastic surgery to look younger and more attractive. There’s a free way to get there. Just spend more time between the sheets.

When people in a study got at least 8 hours of sleep, they were deemed by outward appearances to be healthier folks compared with when their looks were evaluated after a bout of little sleep.

Face-Refreshing Sleep
No doubt about it, a lack of sleep will show up on your face. So it’s no surprise that when people were kept up for 30 hours in the study, they were perceived as “tired looking.” The way sleep affected looks went even deeper, though. After a good night’s sleep, the same people not only were deemed healthier looking but also were considered to be more attractive in general — just based on other people’s perceptions of a morning-after photograph. Yep, turns out that the need for “beauty sleep” isn’t just a lame excuse for leaving a dinner party early. (Bring out the best in your looks with Dr. Amy’s 9-day plan for younger looking skin.)

Best Face Forward
A lack of sleep isn’t bad news for just your looks. It affects the way your brain, endocrine system, and immune system work, too. And sleep deprivation can contribute to serious health problems, including high blood pressure and weight gain. Are droopy eyelids, dark circles, and saggy facial expressions broadcasting your sleep battles in the bedroom? Time to do something about it. Rate your sleep with this quiz. In return, you’ll receive dozens of simple strategies for getting the sleep you need.

How does your skin look to the world? Take the SkinAge Test for an answer.