beauty sleep

American

noun

Informal.

sleep before midnight, assumed to be necessary for one's beauty.
any extra sleep.

beauty sleep British

noun

informal sleep, esp sleep before midnight

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of beauty sleep

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But, she said, she had had to step down "to catch up on a much needed decade's deficit of beauty sleep".

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2022

Because of this, the whole world was waiting on the edge of its seat for a result while Nevada got some beauty sleep.

From The Guardian • Dec. 28, 2020

"As we all got older we had many conversations about life, faith, morals, health, and the importance of getting your beauty sleep," recalled the country crooner.

From Fox News • Jan. 12, 2020

Being more diligent about getting my beauty sleep.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2015

Lucinda is still sleeping her beauty sleep that will last all morning long.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023