We’ve all been there. You’re face to face with a coworker in the break room when they tilt their head sympathetically and observe; “you look tired.” It’s bad enough when you actually did spend the night tossing and turning, but when you got in a solid seven to nine hours of sleep and feel perfectly rested, it’s even more frustrating to hear someone’s concerned commentary that basically translates to; “hey, you look like crap!”
The truth is, a lot of people have dark circles or puffy eyes and though there’s nothing wrong with that, many of us are looking for ways to minimise their appearance. While they are often hallmarks of lack of sleep, there are other causes that have nothing to do with how many zzz’s we catch (or don’t catch) each night. In fact, you might have another health concern or lifestyle habit causing your tired-looking eyes that you may want to address.
Here are eight things other than lack of sleep that can make your eyes look tired.
1. Allergies
“Allergies release a chemical—histamine—that can dilate blood vessels, leading to increased blood flow under the eyes. Histamine also causes itchiness, which can cause swelling, inflammation and fluid accumulation under the eyes. This can leads to dark circles and a tired appearance of the eyes, particularly after rubbing or scratching them. This puffiness is associated with allergies and can be treated easily with over-the-counter antihistamine meds and a nightly cold compresses to reduce swelling.
2. Eye strain
If you stare at a computer screen all day, or if you’re resisting getting glasses, you may find yourself squinting to see items at a distance clearly or while reading. If this sounds familiar, it might be that you're straining your eyes which surprisingly can actually show on your face. The increase in eye strain causes the blood vessels around the eye to dilate. This increase in blood flow can exacerbate the appearance of dark circles and tired eyes. A handy tip is to give your eyes regular break from the computer screen by following the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Plus, it may be time for a pair of glasses.
3. Dehydration
Many of us have a goal to drink more water every day and doesn't it often seem a shockingly hard goal to meet some days? Dehydration is not only dangerous for our health (not to mention the effect it has on our productivity), it can actually make us feel tired and lead to tired-looking eyes, even after eight hours of sleep. The skin around the eyes is incredibly sensitive to hydration and the environment.
Dehydration decreases your blood volume and makes your heart work less efficiently, leading to exhaustion.
4. Excessive under eye pigment
If you have dark circles under your eye, this could be down to genetics as some people have more pigment genetically (more melanin).
5. Bone structure
Some people simply have a genetic predisposition to forming dark circles under the eyes, which can develop during childhood. This may be a result of the contour of your skull and how your skin and the fat underneath your eye interact. A deep tear trough (a groove extending from the inner corner of the eye out along the cheek) can create a noticeable semicircle under the eye. Some people have eye sockets that are further sunken in, and the shadow of their bone structure exacerbates dark circles in this area.
6. Prominent veins
In some cases, the cause of bluish-black circles is oxygenated blood in the veins beneath the eyes. Skin in this area is fragile, transparent and extremely thin which makes it easy for blood to show through. Blue circles are most noticeable in the morning or after you've been lying down.
7. Your age
Natural ageing can contribute to dark circles in several ways. Firstly, when we age, we lose elasticity and volume in our skin. This occurs when the fat in the face wastes away and the collagen production slows down, thinning the skin and causing it to lose its elasticity. As this occurs, the blood vessels can become more visible under the skin, leading to the appearance of dark circles. Additionally, weakening connective tissue can cause skin sagging, or bags, which lead to your eyes looking heavy and tired.
8. Salty foods
If the puffiness under your eyes is worse in the morning and improves as the day goes on, this is likely the result of fluid retention which is commonly caused by eating too much salt.
I have some great treatments to improve the appearance of your eye area and have you feeling great when you look in the mirror.
