There will be times when we get very little or no sleep at night. Sometimes it’s insomnia, sometimes it’s your bubbling stress levels, or sometimes, you get extremely engrossed with reruns of your favorite reality TV shows. We’re all guilty of not having a good night’s sleep, and we know just how horrible it is to go without it. Here are some simple tactics to help you get through the day if you were up all night!
1. Drink Plenty of Fluids
Although water is close to nothing when it comes to energy source, it’s still important for you to stay hydrated. Those sleepless nights can be exhausting – whether you’ve been tossing around in insomnia, or just downing numerous cups of coffee to stay up, your body starts to lose out on its fluids. Start with a 500ml glass of water, and then start the day with more glasses of water. Once you replenish your body with more fluids, you’re able to function a lot better than without it.
2. Stretch and Exercise
A full-blown workout is not recommended when you’ve had very little sleep because it’ll only put you at risk of burning out. Keep your exercise light and simple. All you want is to boost your body’s energy levels, not decrease it even more. Start with some light stretches and then keep it simple with just 15 minute jog, or a 30-40 minute walk.
3. Have Some Caffeine
If you’re having trouble staying awake, a little caffeine will do! Whether it’s a cup of coffee or a steaming mug of hot black tea, start off with a cup first and then hydrate yourself again. Caffeine dries out your body out so it’s crucial to replenish the lost fluids in your body. Don’t overdo the caffeine, though. Having too much will only put you in a super-hyper spot, and when it wears off, you’ll crash and burn a lot faster than without.
4. Avoid Sugar
When you’re trying to stay awake, the last thing you want to do is spiral into a sugar high and then feel extreme lethargy when the sugar starts to wear off. Avoid candy bars, sugary drinks and caffeinated sodas when you’ve not slept. Post-sugar high lethargy is just as bad as post-lunch drowsiness so be steer clear of foods that are high and sugar, and consume foods that boost your metabolism!
5. Take a quick nap
When it’s time for your one hour lunch break, give yourself a 15-minute cat nap. All you need is a 15-minute shut eye to start feeling energized again, so skip that long lunch and get a quick nap on your desk. You’ll wake feeling like a brand new person, but remember not to exceed 20 minutes or else you’ll feel just as bad.
6. Go to Bed Early
Stop procrastinating sleep! Go to bed 30 minutes or an hour earlier if you’ve not gotten any sleep. It’s quite tempting to stay in and sleep all day long to count all those lost hours, but getting a full 8-hours is really all you need. Put all distractions aside, including your smartphone and laptop, and just grab a book to read for a little. This will calm your body down and when it’s time for bed, you’ll enjoy a deeper, more restful sleep.
