A grotesque digital model shows what people could look like in 2050 if we don’t pay enough attention.
‘Hannah’, created by Bensons for Beds and sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock, reveals the changes in our bodies when we get just six hours of sleep a night.
Hannah, a 45-year-old Brit from the future, has chronic back pain, thinning hair, sagging skin, swollen legs and red, baggy eyes.
She also suffers from thinning muscles in her arms and legs and is increasingly susceptible to flu due to a weak immune system.
Due to our hectic modern lifestyles and an obsession with smartphones until the early hours, people may be losing more sleep than ever.
So by 2050, sleep deprivation will cause a plethora of exaggerated chronic health problems like the one Hannah suffers from.
In general, experts recommend that adults sleep between 7 and 9 hours per night – and adults who sleep less than 7 hours are at greater risk for health problems.
According to a study this year, the average Briton gets just six hours and 20 minutes of sleep a night.
Bensons for Beds and sleep expert Dr. Sophie Bostock have predicted what our bodies could look and feel like in 2050 if we continue to be sleep deprived
Hannah suffers from chronic back pain, thinning hair, sagging skin, swollen legs, baggy eyes and muscle atrophy (thinning of muscle mass) in the arms and legs
Hannah’s design is based on 19 research articles in scientific journals published since 2010 that examine the effects of sleep loss on the body.
“Hannah is a thought-provoking illustration of the holistic impact sleep has on maintaining overall health,” says Dr. Bostock.
“Many of us don’t realize that haphazard daily routines and lack of sleep disrupt our circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles that govern our physiology.”
Fortunately, research into the importance of consistent, good-quality sleep for health and wellbeing has accelerated in recent decades, the academic said.
Studies show that long-term sleep deprivation can put you at higher risk for conditions that can affect the heart – including obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
MailOnline takes a closer look at all of Hannah’s terrible ailments – and how you can avoid looking like her in 2050.
EXPANDING ABDOMEN
Hannah represents a 45 year old in 2050, meaning she is currently a 20 year old starting her damaging journey of sleep deprivation.
She also has short- and long-term memory loss and a lowered immune system, making her more vulnerable to respiratory infections such as colds and flu.
In 2050, a lack of sleep has left Hannah feeling too tired to exercise and over time she has stopped exercising, leading to significant weight gain around her midsection.
Additionally, the limited sleep has affected both Hannah’s ‘leptin’ and ‘ghrelin’ hormones, which control feelings of hunger and fullness.
Without enough sleep, your brain reduces leptin (which your body releases to maintain your normal weight) and increases ghrelin (which is an appetite stimulant).
The flow of these hormones could explain late-night snacking or why someone overeats later in the evening.
MEMORY LOSS
A lack of sleep affects a small part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is essential for creating new memories.
During sleep, your brain forms connections that help you process and remember new information – a process called “consolidation.”
Sleep provides “optimal conditions” for consolidation by providing periods of reduced “external stimulation” – in other words, the demands of waking life.
Sleep also increases levels of neurotransmitters – the chemicals that allow neurons throughout the body to communicate with each other.
So Hannah’s lack of sleep means she has less time for these connections, which negatively impacts both her long-term and short-term memory.
According to a study this year, the average Brit gets just six hours and 20 minutes of sleep a night (file photo)
Lack of sleep affects a small part of the brain called the hippocampus (highlighted in this digital rendering), which is essential for making new memories
baggy skin and eyes
It’s called ‘beauty sleep’ for a reason, as a lack of sleep can seriously reduce the elasticity of our skin and make us look older.
When we sleep, we produce collagen, the protein that helps keep skin smooth and the main building block of the skin.
Sleep loss is also linked to the body releasing more of the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol, which keeps us awake and alert.
Sleep deprivation also results in more tired, baggy and red eyelids, as well as darker circles and wrinkles under the eyes, which are also believed to be due to collagen loss.
SWOLLEN LEGS
Chronic sleep deprivation can increase levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, which has been linked to fatal heart disease.
Hannah has heart disease, which prematurely affects her life expectancy; one of the signs of this is swollen ankles.
The body releases the hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys
Heart disease slows blood flow through the body and causes fluid to build up in the feet, ankles and legs.
In addition, heart failure reduces the body’s ability to remove sodium, which also causes abnormal swelling.
CHRONIC BACK PAIN
Lack of sleep causes chronic back and shoulder pain for Hannah, while the pain prevents sleep – leading to a terrible ‘vicious cycle’.
During sleep, growth hormones and other chemicals are released that are essential for relieving pain and healing the body.
Additionally, lack of sleep makes certain parts of the brain more receptive to pain signals, leading to the spiraling vicious cycle.
Sleep loss is also a cause of muscle atrophy – the thinning of muscle mass – because it impairs the production of hormones involved in muscle building.
Living in an empty place day in and day out has caused Hannah to develop muscle atrophy, with her arms and legs becoming smaller and smaller.
Alopecia is the general medical term for hair loss. It is usually most noticeable on the scalp, but it can occur anywhere on the body
THINNING OF THE HAIR
Chronic poor sleep has led to Hannah gradually developing hair loss, known as alopecia, which can lead to total baldness.
It is thought that lack of sleep hinders blood circulation to the scalp, depriving hair follicles of essential nutrients and oxygen needed for healthy growth.
In addition to getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night, tips to avoid looking like Hannah include getting up at the same time every day — even on weekends.
We should also get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, drink plenty of water, use a comfortable and supportive mattress, and spend as much time as possible in sunlight during the day.
“Hannah is a worst-case scenario prediction of what could happen to someone if they do everything poorly in terms of a poor sleep routine and poor mattress support,” says Lisa Richards, marketing director at Bensons.
‘Of course it doesn’t represent all Britons, but the reason we wanted to create this model was to get people to think more carefully about their overall sleep experience.
‘By using this image, people can more easily identify with the problem and the most important signals.’