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The fault is a liquid called extracellular, so named because it lives circulating outside the cells of our body. When we lie down, this liquid is distributed throughout the body – including the head – causing the famous swelling of the eyelids. “It is important to note that not only the eyelids and the area below the eyes swell, but our entire face. And there’s more: if we sleep on our side, the part of the face that is facing down will be even more swollen”, says endocrinologist Anelise Impelizieri Nogueira, from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). During the day, due to the force of gravity, this liquid goes down and lodges in the lower parts of the body. “This causes the eye area to deflate, but it also explains why it is common for people who stay on their feet all day to have swollen legs at night.
In the same way, those who spend all day sitting suffer from the accumulation of liquid in the buttocks and upper legs”, says Anelise. People with heart, circulatory or kidney problems – cases in which it is difficult to eliminate fluids through urine – tend to have larger swellings.