# Am I tired

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-tired/61703>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 12, 2001, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-tired/61703 "2001-04-12T11:56:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![walor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@walor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/walor)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2001, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-tired/61703/1 "2001-04-12T11:56:26Z")

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Why do you get black circles under your eyes when you’re tired?

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**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2001, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-tired/61703/2 "2001-04-12T12:27:42Z")

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Hi and welcome!

Just FYI - Not all dark circles result from fatigue. I have permanent darkening under my eyes - every woman on my mom’s side of the family gets them not long after puberty. People are always commenting on how tired I look. Eh, you live with it after awhile.

As far as being tired, I think it has something to do with blood capillaries near the surface. The skin around the eyes is very thin and sensitive.

I should have paid more attention in biology class. I’m sure there will be someone who knows this soon.

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2001, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-tired/61703/3 "2001-04-13T01:19:04Z")

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Nah, you pretty much nailed it, Madame Le Whoooo. 😃 Staying awake in biology class wouldn’t have helped. A quick surf of Google for “cause circles under eyes” brings up:

1. Nobody knows why.
2. Sometimes you’re born with it.
3. Sometimes it’s allergies.
4. Sometimes it’s lack of sleep.
5. Because the skin is really thin there.
6. But nobody really knows why your body does this.

[http://granite.syr.edu/vrd/knowledgeDB.asp?cat=30&ques=365](http://granite.syr.edu/vrd/knowledgeDB.asp?cat=30&ques=365) among others…

> **[Google](https://www.google.com)**
>
> Celebrating the late We:wa! #GoogleDoodle

Accept no substitutes. 😃