WANT TO feel more confident? The secret is to be well-rested and take good care of yourself, a new study finds.
According to new research, the number one way to boost confidence is to get a good night’s sleep. This was found to help more than half of UK adults (53%) to feel more confident and a further 49% say they get an extra confidence boost from being healthy.
The research also reveals the impact that physical appearances can have on a person’s confidence levels.
In particular, 42% of adults say they feel more confident when they are having a good hair day and according to the research, this is the number one confidence-boosting factor for women, for whom 60% agree this plays a vital role in self-confidence.
An additional 45% of men and women say that being in good shape helps to improve their confidence too – indeed 1 in 4 say they were at their most self-assured when they were in the best shape of their lives.
Falling behind the aforementioned wellbeing and aesthetic factors, and fifth on the list of confidence boosters, is being skilled at something; an attribute which 39% say makes them feel more confident.
This was closely followed by having good people skills, which 36% of adults say plays an important role.
Makeup is also a big confidence boost for women, with as many as 35% saying they immediately feel more confident after applying makeup and 48% say they feel confident when their skin is looking its best.
Jason Saks, Expert Hair Educator at HairMax comments: “The things that shape our confidence levels change over time.
Whilst 20 years ago, good conversationalists and those who are highly skilled may have felt like the most confident person in the room, the emphasis today is more so on wellbeing and aesthetic factors.
It seems taking time to look after oneself both mentally and physically is the real secret to boosting our confidence in modern society – and for women in particular, the secret to confidence lies in a good hair day.
“These are stressful times, so it’s important to listen to your body and champion whatever makes you feel good and most confident.
If that means getting more sleep then perhaps switching off your phone in the evening to wind down is the answer; or if it’s having a great hair day, investing in your hair routine to ensure you feel ready for anything.”
Dr Mann, Chartered Psychologist and author of The Science of Boredom, comments: “Self-confidence is all about feeling good about ourselves and how we come across to others, so it is no surprise that it’s strongly linked with being happy with our appearance.
Many of us feel the need to present our best selves to feel confident, and our crowning glory seems to be what makes or breaks our self-image, especially for women.
“But it seems that a good night’s rest is even more vital to our self-confidence, and this is because when we are tired, we feel anxious, stressed and irritable – all of which is bound to knock our self-belief.
A lack of sleep can also impact our physical health as well as our appearance (think dark shadows under the eyes and lifeless hair) and make us less likely to have the energy to go for that healthy jog or walk in the park.
This all makes us feel less good about ourselves, which can even start a vicious cycle of anxiety, unhappiness and sleep difficulties.”
HairMax produces clinically proven at-home laser devices to nourish, stimulate and grow your hair, including Laserbands, Lasercombs and Laser Caps.
The technology behind HairMax is the first FDA-cleared laser therapy device for men and women and is clinically proven to treat hair loss and stimulate hair growth. The devices are also shown to increase the diameter of each hair to create greater density and volume.
Top 10 Factors That Boost Confidence
- Getting a good night’s sleep – 53%
- Being healthy – 49%
- Having a good hair day – 42%
- Being in good shape – 40%
- Being skilled at something – 39%
- Having good people skills – 36%
- Being freshly showered – 34%
- Having a good skin day – 34%
- Getting regular exercise – 28%
- Having a good diet – 27%