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Not sleeping on your back? You could age faster

March 30, 2017 15:00 IST

Any sleeping position, other than lying flat on your back, can cause wrinkles on your face and chest.

Most of us know what going without sleep can do to our looks.

Dark circles, puffy eyelids, washed out skin are just a few of the bad effects of less than perfect sleep.

But could the way you sleep be giving you wrinkles?

Studies have proved that the position you sleep in can make you look and feel older.

How sleeping positions affect you

Do you lie face-down on your bed or do you curl on your side like a baby?

Remember that any sleeping position, other than lying flat on your back, can cause wrinkles on your face and chest.

Lying on your back stops fluid from collecting under your facial skin which would otherwise leave you pasty and puffy-faced the next morning.

It also prevents the formation of creases on your face leading to wrinkles long-term, and premature facial ageing.

You must understand that wrinkles are caused due to repetitive movements of the face.

As we age, our skin loses elasticity; so any repetitive habit like even raising an eyebrow can lead to wrinkles.

Sleeping positions and sleep lines

The way you sleep causes lines on your face called sleep lines.

You can get them, if you crunch your face into your pillow while sleeping on your side.

It's possible to look at a person and make out which side they lie on the bed while sleeping. More wrinkles on one side mean they have slept with their cheek pressed into the pillow on that particular side.

This applies more to you, if you are over 50 and have been sleeping in the same position for 5 to 7 months at a go.

You can instantly see permanent creases on your face and décolletage area (upper chest).

Wrinkle prevention tips

Lead image used for representational purposes only. Image: Mark J Sebastian/Creative Commons