Do you feel worn out today? Here is what professionals do following a restless or sleepless night.
You know how awful it can feel to be sleep deprived if you've ever worked an all-nighter or tossed and turned all night.
Your mood will probably suffer, your body may ache, and you may find it difficult to focus. This is due to the fact that sleep is connected to almost every vital bodily process; it influences our immune system and appetite, stress hormones and metabolism, blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Poor sleep can have a variety of negative effects on your health, which is why you might feel awful after a late-night outing.
Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep per night to feel rested and functional the following day. However, that isn't always possible for various reasons. In fact, a recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that almost half of Americans experience regular sleep deprivation.
Sleeping is the best treatment for lack of sleep. There isn't really a quick fix, but there are a few tricks and tips that can help you get through the day. We asked a few sleep experts to share their coping mechanisms for being sleep deprived. They stated the following.
Do not worry about it.
Although it's easier said than done, it's important to avoid becoming preoccupied with your lack of sleep.
The director of Stanford Health Care's sleep and circadian health program, Fiona Barwick, tells herself to not worry when she is getting insufficient sleep because she knows her body will take the necessary steps to catch up.
Our sleep drive is a self-correcting system that makes an effort to maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle." We'll rest better the next night on the off chance that we have a terrible night's rest the initial time. However, worrying will make it harder for us to sleep, according to Barwick.
Put yourself in the light
In the morning, Barwick also makes it a point to expose herself to some bright light. Light has a significant impact on our sleep-wake cycle because it tells our brain when it's time to get up and be active in the morning and when it's almost time for bed at night.
When you first wake up, exposure to light "suppresses melatonin, which increases alertness and boosts mood," according to Barwick. Additionally, it will help regulate your circadian rhythm, which ought to improve the quality of your nighttime sleep.
Caffeine is good, but not too much.
Although it might seem obvious, coffee does indeed help. This is because caffeine inhibits adenosine, a substance in our bodies that makes us crave sleep. As a result, caffeine helps people who are sleep deprived feel less sleepy and perform better when learning and making decisions. This is according to Dr. Andrey Zinchuk, a sleep medicine specialist at Yale Medicine.
It's important to be aware of how much caffeine you consume, even though it might be tempting to keep refilling your mug.
I don't consume a lot of caffeine because I don't want to experience the crash that comes after its initial alerting effects wear off, said Barwick.
The late-afternoon cup of coffee is not advised, says Dr. Wissam Chatila, a pulmonologist at Temple Lung Center and professor of thoracic medicine and surgery at Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine.
If taken at the wrong time, such as late at night, he warned, they would disrupt sleep in the future.
Have a Cat Nap
If you can manage to fit in a 30- to 60-minute nap, do so. A brief nap can increase capacity for exercise, sleepiness, alertness, and memory.
On the other hand, a longer midday nap can actually impair cognitive function, according to Chatila, which may make it even more difficult to finish tasks. Set an alarm to ensure that you don't go overboard.
As I want to save the majority of my sleep drive for the upcoming night, Barwick said, "I keep the nap relatively short so that I don't use up too much sleep drive.”
Even if you don't nap, Barwick said, getting some rest can be beneficial. You can feel refreshed and more focused after ten to thirty minutes of yoga nidra, a meditative yoga practice that involves deep relaxation.
Take a walk
Barwick tries to take a walk outside when she is unable to take a nap. According to research, even a 10-minute walk can significantly lower stress, improve mood, and sharpen focus.
Additionally, it can increase your desire to sleep, which should aid in falling asleep at night.
That makes it even more likely that I'll sleep better the following night, Barwick said.
Understand What is your body's resiliency
Finally, don't be hard on yourself. We are able to function even when we are sleep deprived because of how strong our bodies are. (Remember all the things you were able to get done on those days when you didn't get enough sleep.)
Just because you didn't get the rest you required doesn't mean the day will be a wash, advised Barwick. Be delicate with yourself and focus on your body.
I don't reduce what I had planned to do, but I also don't punish myself if I accomplish less than I had hoped to, she said.
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