Award-winning actresses Penelope Cruz, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zelwegger and Sharon Stone swear a good night’s sleep keeps them looking beautiful.
Every hour of sleep you get before midnight is worth three hours of sleep after midnight. Beauty magazines claim that a lack of sleep can negatively affect our appearance. Is there any scientific basis for these claims? Without diving too deeply into the technical details of dermatology and sleep medicine – it seems that yes there is!
Every hour of sleep you get before midnight is worth three hours of sleep after midnight
Let there Be Light
For most of human history, when the sun went down, we sat around an open fire, told some stories for a while and then went off to sleep.
Then the invention of the printing press and whale oil lamps let us stay up late in the evening to read books – but by and large, we still got a good night’s sleep.
More recently, with the invention of electricity, the light bulb, the television, the computer, and whatever portable device we carry around with us – we now have a source of artificial light and entertainment any time day or night.
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Sleep Well and You’ll Live Longer
The odd late night is nothing to worry about, but recent surveys show that more and more people are sleeping less than six hours a night, and spend their days in a state of chronic sleep deprivation.
When we are in deep sleep, our bodies detoxify and our cells rebuild and repair themselves. If you don’t get enough deep sleep, these functions are impaired. This leads to health problems such as weight gain, heart problems, impaired immune system, inability to concentrate, increased accidents, irritability, and you will even die younger.
Ok, so there are health benefits to getting a good night’s sleep, but what does this mean in terms of your video presentations?
The Real Deal on Beauty Sleep
The obvious problem is that you will look tired. Energy-wise you’ll appear “flat” onscreen. From birth we have been conditioned to look at faces (your viewer will tend to focus on your face) – and since your face will take up the majority of screen space in your video presentation, any tiredness, under-eye circles, or lackluster skin tone will appear magnified on-screen – signalling a lack of vitality to your viewer (important if you are selling lifestyle products/services via video).
But it’s more than just “looking tired.” A study published in the British Medical Journal photographed adults before and after sleep deprivation. Observers judged the people in the sleep-deprived images as being less healthy and less attractive than the comparison photos.
In summary – science has proven that your viewers can definitely tell when you are tired, and they will rate you as being less attractive on screen, than when you have had a good night’s sleep.
It’s essential for good health, a calm mind, and looking your best that you do your best to commit to practising regular sleep hygiene and that you get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night – especially if you are filming your video presentation the following day!
Remember…
The Camera Sees Everything
In your video presentations, you are typically framed in a medium – close shot. This means you’ll need to think carefully about how you want to present yourself, your message, your brand, your vibe, and your essence onscreen. Especially if you want to manage those vital few seconds that form the basis of a quality first impression and viewer experience.
How do You Want to be Perceived by your Target Audience?
What do you want people to see, hear, and feel when they discover you on video for the first time? That is the “anchor” by which they will judge every subsequent exposure to you. You want them to perceive you as the go-to thought leader in your space, right? If so, you must not leave this to chance. Rather, you must clearly position your thought leadership by design.
Read More On-Camera Presence Topics
- Master your Oncamera Fears like a Pro
- Client Coaching: 6 On-camera Mistakes you want to Avoid on Video
- Screech and Shrill on Video! Why Your Voice Could Irritate your Viewer
- Speak Like an Anchor on Video. 6 Tips You Need to Know
- “Just be Yourself,” They Say? Wrong! Define Yourself Before they Define You
- How to Look at the Video Camera with Engaging Eye Contact
If you have a question or you what me to cover a topic for you let me know. I’m always listening! And, you can always book a time with me to get the tailored support and guidance you need on any of the performance areas covered in this post. See below for details or learn more about my services here.
Established in 2006 Bianca Te Rito, founder of STEBIAN.com provides an exclusive, consulting service helping business thought leaders, speakers, award-winning authors & VIPs productize their thought leadership and present themselves, their products, services, or brand message to their target audience in the most effective way possible on video. Get the tailored expertise from a real-world operator with over 20 years of TV/Film industry experience working in front of and behind the camera. Learn more about our custom offers here.