Ways to Salvage Your Day After a Bad Night’s Sleep
Lindsay Knake
| 2 min read
A rough night of sleep can ruin your day.
Losing sleep can make you irritable, stressed and less focused. It can lead to slower response times, as well.
One thing worse than having a poor night of sleep is stressing about your night of poor sleep. Try not to ruminate over it; instead, make the rest of your day better.
Take a nap
Taking a nap will help. Keeping it to about 30 minutes can give your brain time to rest without wrecking your chance of a better night's sleep that night. Even if you don’t fall completely asleep, the time can be restorative. Keep your nap to the middle of the day to prevent another rough night of sleep.
Drink water
Have a big glass of water to wake yourself up and replenish fluids lost during sleep.
Consider caffeine in limited amounts
A cup of coffee or tea will give you a boost of energy and focus, but beware of drinking too much. High levels of caffeine can make you feel jittery and anxious.
Enjoy sunlight or natural light
Soaking up sun or natural light will help you feel more awake. Daylight signals to our brain that it’s time to be awake, which is why light from smartphones can keep us awake at night, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Exercise, exercise, exercise
Even if you don’t feel like it, exercising will give you energy and make you feel more alert. A short walk or taking a couple of flights of stairs may be all you need.
Rearrange your schedule
If you can, save harder tasks for when you’re well rested. Use the day to take care of easier chores and items at work, saving projects that need deep, creative thought for when you are well-rested.
Go to bed early
The best thing you can do is get more sleep. Practice good sleep hygiene by staying away from screens for at least an hour before bed, keeping your bedroom cool and dark, and creating a soothing routine to help you relax before bed.
Chronic loss of sleep can lead to anxiety, depression, more illnesses, and cardiovascular events. Practice good sleep habits to prevent one bad day from becoming many bad days.
Image: Getty Images
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