It basically sounds like you need more sleep, if your already sleeping for 9 hours take day short naps when you have free time, also their are some creams from companies like Olay and Neutrogena that treat those, i'm sure their are less expensive and better treatments at a pharmacy though

I get dark circles from too much sleep. Try sleeping about 7.5hrs a night for 2 weeks and see what happens.

i have dark circles too and get about the same amount of sleep every day about 9 hrs. i tried a method that works for me. ever heard that cucumbers soothes eye puffiness?well potatos decrease those dark eye circles because of the amount of potassium they contain. you have to use cold pototaes (just stick them in the fridge over night) and slice them then apply on the eye for about 5 minutes. its hard to keep them in place so i cover them with a sleepin maskin. . youll notice that the dark circles will start to lighten in jus mins. the darkness will come back so you do that every 2-3 days. and tea bags can also be used because their loaded with potassium too but dont try them dry. hope this helps

I have dark circles under my eyes and they are allergy related. Mary Kay has a new product that is suppose to help with the dark circles. I have not tried it yet, but I have it ordered to try. If it works I will let you know.

Hey Amov,
I also suffer from the same ailment, dark circles under the eyes. I too sleep between 8 and 10 hours every night, and have noticed the circles seem worse with the more sleep I get. I eat healthy, exercise, and have an emotionally and spiritually healthy lifestyle with minimal stress. When I sleep between 5-6 hours from 12:00am -6:00am I find the circle are less pronounced. It must be deep sleep though, where I'm dreaming.

From my research it seems that these circles can be the result of a combination of a sleep disorder (too much or too little, no deep sleep, etc.), iron deficiency, elevated stress, kidney yang imbalance (traditional chinese medicine), sinus congestion. Other possible causes include intestinal parasites(tapeworm) and allergies (hay fever, etc.). Most likely it is a combination of some or all of these in varying amounts.

I have read some studies that conclude that too much sleep is often the culprit behind the dark circles. When we lie down, gravity causes fluid to gather in our lower eye lids, causing the eyelids to swell, thus creating shadows under the eyes which accentuate the circles. Also, thinning skin below the eyes allow the vascular structures to become more apparent. Dark circles can also be genetic. Another extremely important factor is hydration. Most people don't get enough fluids. A good gauge is the color of your urine. If it is constantly yellow to dark yellow, and hot, with a strong odor, you might not be getting enough fluids. This can cause dark circles under the eyes.

So, to conclude here is what I do:

•I decrease sleep to no more than 7 hours a night. 5-6 is prime and plenty to give me the energy I need. (I use the gauge of 2:1, sleep:exercise) here is a link to an interesting study

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1820996. stm

•Increase excercise to at least 2 hours of solid excercise or movement (walking, gardening, basketball, etc.) especially at a younger age, such as 15, one should be getting at least this. Humans are made to move.

•Make sure my body is getting enough water and oxygen. Excercise allows oxygen to reach muscles and tissues, increasing circulation. Breathing excerices also help to get the blood and oxygen to the right places.

•Eat more fresh,raw food. Simple. We need to eat things that still have life in them in order give our bodies life.

•Make sure I'm getting enough iron and vitamin C, taking supplements if necessary.

•Smile more, as it gives my facial muscles excercise and keeps the blood in my face moving. Also, when I'm smiling the circles become less visible as the muscles push them up, plus my mouth becomes the focal pint of my face, thus helping to keep up my self esteem.

I hope this helps your ailment!

Best,
helpinghand

@helpinghand

that was a VERY informative post, and i thank you VERY much for taking the time to post that. I will try all of those things in an attempt to reduce my dark circles.

I have a problem though. On school nights i usually get 8 hours of sleep and on weekends i usually get 9 or 10, because usually if I get less I am extremely tired until like 15 minutes after I have taken my shower. After that I am fine except during the day I either crash and take a nap or sleep longer the next day. Is this normal? Or should I continue to get 8 hours?

thank you so much for your time!

Amov,

When I wake up in the morning after 8 hours I feel tired. That is when I know I have slept too long. When you awake try drinking a large glass of fresh, pure water (room temperature, not cold). Take your morning shower and then do some mild excercise to get the blood flowing, stretching and breathing exercises especially help. Are you dreaming at night? If so, this is a sign that you are getting the good sleep that our bodies need. If no dreams, this could be a reason for your sleepiness when you awake, hence the dark circles and long sleeping hours. This could be caused by an improper matress and/or pillow, improper sleeping temperature, dehydration, etc.

Another reason for your sleepiness when you awake is that melatonin (the "sleep chemical" produced in your brain when you aren't exposed to sunlight) is still continueing to affect your body. If you sleep in a dark cave-like room this can also account for your sleepiness. Get some sunlight when you awake, this is IMPORTANT. This can be done by leaving the curtains or blinds open at night so the sun helps to wake you natuarally. If you can't do this or live where it is dark until late morning, you can get special light bulbs that emit a fuller spectrum of light than the incandenscent light bulbs that we normally use in our homes. This is called phototherapy and studies have proven that it helps to energize the body. Light dispells the melatonin in our brains and wakes us up naturally. If you change to a fuller spectrum bulb in you sleeping room you can put it on a timer to turn on when you want to wake up.

So from your reply, it sounds like you might be getting too much sleep. EIGHT HOURS IS NORMAL AND HEALTHY FOR A PERSON YOUR AGE, in fact some studies say that 9 is preffered for optimum health. But if your not getting enough exercise in the day to complement your sleep, then it could be too much. But as we know, everyone is different and has a different bio rhythm. Adults need less sleep, studies say 6-7 is optimum. I know I feel good when I get 6 hours. I don't do a whole lot of strenuous exercise, though I'm active and moving most of the day. The longer I sleep the more tired I feel throughout the day and the worse my dark circles are. So when I sleep 5 or 6 hours I am awake and my circles are less apparent. It is strange, like a window of sleep that when I miss I'm tired. Too much I'm tired and too little I'm tired. It is necessary to find your window.

You might try doing a sleep test on your next school holidays (so it won't interfere with your studies). There are two ways to do this. Try stepping your sleep schedule down. Gradually, step down in half hour increments every night, starting with your normal sleep. Or you can start at, say 5 hours, and work you way up. Which ever youre more comfortable with. Keep a photo log of your dark circles and a breif desription of your dreams and how you feel when you wake up. This might not show result immediately or it may? But you will be able to find a good amount of sleep for your body, depending on your lifestyle. Once you know how much sleep is too much, you start to keep a healthy sleep routine and see how your dark circles change. Remember, If you do either of these you need to keep a routine exercise and eating schedule inorder to maintain a steady health. My dark circles , as I noted in the last response, are the result of an imbalanced combination of diet, sleep, and exercise.

So hope this helps and remember that it may take a while once you get into a healthy rhythm for noticable changes to occur to your eyes, or it may not! My bags come and go almost daily with my sleep changes. At first when you change your sleep patterns you may feel rundown, its a bit like jet lag, it will take some getting used to, but you'll know if it is right for your body. Find a rhythm that feels healthy. Get sunlight. Drink water. Stretch your muscles. Smile.

Take care.

hh