Dark eye circles – what shadows reveal about exhaustion, inner pressure, and unlived emotions
- Daniel Neuhaus
- Feb 6
- 9 min read
Dark eye circles are among the facial features everyone recognizes, yet hardly anyone truly understands. For some, they are just an annoying beauty issue. For others, a sign of tiredness or stress. But for many people, dark eye circles are something that has accompanied them for years – without ever really questioning why they are there.
In Face Reading, it is not about judging dark eye circles in any way or trying to explain them away. It is about understanding why the skin under the eyes darkens and the gaze may appear tired – and what the person truly needs in that moment.
Dark eye circles are not merely a cosmetic deficit.
They are a message from the body and our nervous system, inviting us to listen.
A message that tells us something about our inner balance – and about what we may have been carrying for far too long.
Contents at a glance
1. What are dark eye circles, really? (Medical & anatomical)
The area under the eyes is one of the most sensitive zones of the entire face. The skin here is extremely thin, almost transparent. When something changes in this area – color, tension, or blood circulation – it becomes visible immediately.
Typical medical causes include:
Circulation issues (blood pools, shadows appear)
Lack of fluids or edema
Allergies
Genetic predisposition
Iron deficiency or vitamin deficiency
Lack of sleep, exhaustion
Increased cortisol levels due to stress
In short: the skin under the eyes reacts faster than most other areas of the face when the body or psyche falls out of balance.
In Face Reading, however, this area represents much more:
It shows the state of kidney energy (TCM), fear, inner reserves, and whether a person takes good care of themselves or repeatedly pushes beyond their limits.
2. The meaning of dark eye circles in Chinese medicine – kidneys, water & fear
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the region under the eyes belongs to the water element – the domain of:
Kidneys (life energy, Jing, foundational strength)
Bladder
Fear, worry, existential themes
Life rhythm, recovery, sleep
We all know the saying “That really gets to my kidneys.” The kidneys are closely linked to the emotion of fear. And fear is always future-oriented.
When this area becomes dark, bluish, gray, or violet, it does not only indicate high energy consumption. It can also show that long-standing life themes are connected with worry and concern.
In everyday life, this often applies to:
people who carry a lot of responsibility and simply “function”
people who hardly allow themselves breaks
people who do not permit themselves to cry and therefore hold a lot inside
people who no longer regenerate properly at night
In Chinese diagnostics, this is not seen as weakness. It is a signal from the body saying:
“Please protect your energy.”
3. Dark eye circles in Face Reading – shadows that tell stories
What fascinates me most as a Face Reader about this feature:
Dark eye circles are deeply honest, because they show what is really happening inside us.
1. Dark eye circles – fear, tension, chronic stress
When kidney energy is weakened, the body often responds with:
dark shadows
sunken eyes
a tired, worn-out gaze
Here we often see a person who:
worries a lot
wants to manage everything alone
sacrifices themselves
carries strong inner responsibility
constantly thinks ahead
rarely switches off
This reflects the fear-related side of emotions: future anxiety, insecurity, the constant question of “What if I didn’t do this?”
2. Bluish dark eye circles – exhaustion of reserves
Qi is low, and the body consumes more than it is able to replenish.
These individuals are often sensitive, thin-skinned, quiet – and deeply exhausted.
3. Gray dark eye circles – fatigue & blood deficiency
Here, fatigue dominates, and not only on a physical level.
It is the exhaustion that arises when someone has lived against themselves for too long.
4. Yellowish or greenish tones – liver & detoxification
This is rarer, but it can indicate:
stress hormones
emotional heaviness
too many emotions that have been “swallowed” instead of expressed
5. Reddish-brown shadows – cortisol & aggression turned inward
A rare, but very important sign.
Here, the stress hormone cortisol plays a central role, showing a person who:
constantly pushes beyond their limits
is very hard on themselves
does not allow any weakness
From my perspective as a Face Reader, this is never a judgment.
It is a call from the body to slow down, recharge, and take real care of one’s energy again.
4. Unprocessed emotions – why dark eye circles tell a story you may have known for years
The area under the eyes often shows more than physical exhaustion. When this area also begins to swell, it can reveal emotional burdens that are deeply rooted in our system. In such cases, it can point to suppressed grief.
1. Suppressed grief
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this area is referred to as “uncried tears.”
If you would like to go deeper and understand how eye bags can be connected to “uncried tears,” I recommend my article:
Many people never allowed themselves to cry, or simply never had the space to do so.
Perhaps it was also the fear of not being able to stop once they started.
Dark eye circles can develop when someone:
never processed old grief
never allowed themselves to show their emotions
had to be strong
took on responsibility before they were ready
2. Fear – the quiet tension
Fear or worry is always oriented toward the future. It constantly drains energy from our kidneys, and this is exactly where dark eye circles often become visible first.
3. Emotional dissonance
Emotional dissonance arises when we show something outwardly that does not match what we feel inside. We cry on the inside and smile on the outside.
A study from 2003 by von Heuven & Bakker shows that emotional dissonance – displaying emotions that do not correspond to one’s inner experience – is a central risk factor for burnout. Especially in professions with intense human interaction, emotional dissonance has a stronger impact on burnout symptoms such as exhaustion and cynicism than high workload or time pressure.
5. Dark eye circles & personality – what they reveal about inner patterns
Dark eye circles can point to people who:
have become very sensitive and thin-skinned
take on too much responsibility
possess deep empathy
worry easily
feel a lot but show little
have an active inner life
rarely put themselves first
They often have soft hearts.
But harsh expectations toward themselves.
Dark eye circles belong to a “quiet” personality structure that says:
“I carry a lot – and show very little of it.”
6. What can you do if you have dark eye circles?
I do not believe the solution lies in simply applying a cream. This does not mean that creams are useless or cannot nourish the skin. But a second, equally important question is:
What needs to change so that more joy can return to my life?
And what do I do every day purely out of responsibility, even though it gives me no emotional fulfillment?
From my perspective, it is about what your face reveals about your path and which direction may be healing.
1. Allow yourself real rest
Not only sleep, but emotional regeneration as well. Turning toward the things in life that bring joy – and with it, lightness.
2. Allow yourself boundaries
You do not always have to function. Others can take responsibility too.
3. Allow yourself sadness
Tears are not a problem.
Suppressed tears are.
4. Allow yourself to feel fear
Fear is not your enemy.
If fear could speak, it would say: “Bring yourself to safety.”
What is it trying to tell you?
Where do you sense a danger that already makes you tense just thinking about it?
The emotion of fear contains the ability to care for our inner safety. In its clear, supportive form, it can motivate us to prepare well – for example, for an exam – and even enhance performance. When fear tips into its overwhelming side, however, it takes away our freedom of movement and can cause us to freeze internally.
A helpful question to loosen such inner rigidity can be:
“What can I do to feel safe?”
5. Allow yourself lightness
Sometimes the best medicine for dark eye circles is a moment that asks nothing of you.
The deep need for lightness is described by the emotion of joy.
If joy could speak, it would say: “Follow lightness.”
Louis de Funès once said:
Laughter is for the soul what oxygen is for the lungs.
7. What dark eye circles are NOT – and why aesthetic medicine often falls short
Dark eye circles are not a beauty flaw. They describe a state.
And states can change when life changes.
Of course, you can:
inject hyaluronic acid
use laser treatments
apply creams
But if the cause lies within, you are only working on the surface.
Anyone who wants to understand more deeply why people look the way they do will find a bridge here:
This article shows why aesthetic procedures are only truly beneficial when body, psyche, and life path are seen together.
If you would like to dive deeper into Face Reading:
If you want to understand how swelling under the eyes differs from true dark eye circles and why both are deeply connected to emotional processes, you will find a deeper article here.
If you want to understand why fine lines under the eyes sometimes reveal more about old losses, unlived parts, and quiet regret than any story, this article explains these wrinkles with great humanity.
Dark eye circles and deep facial lines can influence each other. This article shows how lines in the face can point to blockages along one’s life path.
If you are interested in how thought patterns and rumination show up in the face, read on here.
Video: a conversation about personality, empathy, and what faces reveal
In this episode of FlowGrade – For Life, I talk with Max Gotzler about what Face Reading can truly offer today. We walk through the foundations – physiognomy, facial expression, and body language – and discuss how personality shows itself in the face, where the limits lie, and why empathy is at the core of this work.
At the end, I read a few facets of Max’s personality from his face – in the form of a short speed reading, in a live analysis.
Free Face Reading Webinar – live every month
In my monthly live webinar, I show you how Face Reading works in practice.
You will learn how facial features are connected to personality, resources, and inner patterns – and how you can use this knowledge for coaching, communication, or your personal development.
The webinar is designed to be interactive and offers plenty of space for your questions.
Join for free here:
FAQ – dark eye circles
What is the most important difference between dark eye circles and eye bags?
Dark eye circles are color-related shadows. Eye bags are swellings. Both point to different emotional and physical dynamics.
Are dark eye circles always a sign of illness?
No. Many people carry dark eye circles as a personality feature – they often develop through lifestyle, stress, or emotional patterns.
Why do dark eye circles become more pronounced under stress?
Because cortisol and lack of sleep weaken kidney energy, and this is exactly where the face shows changes first.
Can dark eye circles fade if I change my life?
Yes – the skin under the eyes reacts quickly. Relief, sleep, emotional processing, and stress reduction often have visible effects.
What does the color of dark eye circles mean?
The color of dark eye circles can indicate:
Dark: exhaustion / fear
Blue: fatigue
Gray: mineral deficiency / blood deficiency
Yellow/green: liver / detoxification
Red/brown: cortisol and self-induced pressure