A sleepless night is never a pleasant experience as it affects both your physical and mental health. Whether it was an urgent deadline, a grand celebration, or noisy neighbors that ruined your sleep, you’ll have a hard time getting through the day.
Leigh Winters, a neuroscientist and wellness expert, says that your brain doesn’t work at an optimal speed when you don’t get adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation reduces blood flow to the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions responsible for higher-level thinking, such as working memory, problem-solving, and analytical thinking.
According to the American Sleep Association, only 35% of adults get seven hours of sleep at night which means many Americans experience sleepless nights on a regular basis. Irritability, headaches, and fatigue are some of the common signs of sleep deprivation. Though the obvious solution to this is getting more sleep, you don’t always have this option.
Because life doesn’t always wait for you to be rested, you must know how to function at an acceptable level with little to no sleep. Here are some of the most effective strategies to power through the day after a sleepless night:
-
Have Coffee & Stay Hydrated
One of the most effective tools to help your brain function at an optimal level is coffee. However, you must not overdo it as taking too much caffeine can aggravate the symptoms of sleep deprivation, causing restlessness, anxiety, and dizziness.
Taking two cups during morning hours is enough to keep you awake. Contrary to what you may think, taking more than that won’t make you more focused or refreshed. On the downside, it will keep you from falling asleep at night, engendering a vicious cycle.
Drinking more water, on the other hand, is always a good idea. Dehydration amplifies the fatigue and irritability that comes with a lack of sleep. Staying hydrated will help boost your energy.
-
Take a Power Nap
Taking a nap is highly tempting on sleepy days. Research shows that a power nap, shorter than 30 minutes, can provide physical and mental relaxation that helps reduce stress and result in improved mood and greater alertness.
A power nap is absolutely necessary on some days to relax both the mind and body. However, napping too frequently can disrupt your sleep pattern as it can keep you from falling asleep at night. If you feel the need to nap frequently, you should try to get restful and longer sleep at night.
-
Prioritize To-Dos
There’s only so much a sleep-deprived individual can do. You are not at your best after a rough night and doing tasks that require a lot of mental effort may not be a good idea. You should put off everything that’s not urgent and prioritize tasks that need your immediate attention. It’s important to keep a simple schedule and avoid multitasking. You should focus on a single task to reduce stress and maintain your productivity levels.
-
Take Small Breaks
A sleep-deprived mind cannot perform tasks requiring complex thought and logical reasoning as well as a restful mind. Losing focus is also common when working without sleep. Therefore, it’s important to take small breaks to regain focus and alertness.
While you can do so many things during these intervals, the best thing to do is take some fresh air. Research suggests that exposure to natural sunlight helps improve cognitive performance, enhance mood, and maintain cardiac rhythm. You can also play some of the famous slot games like book of dead, starburst etc.. at NetBet to recharge yourself.
-
Communicate
The consequences of little or zero sleep are known to everyone. Pretending to be well-rested is probably not the best thing to do here. If your colleagues ask about it, you should be honest with them.
Many people hesitate to reveal that they don’t feel well because they couldn’t sleep last night. You must understand that explaining your condition does not correspond to complaining or justifying less focus. On the contrary, it’s a valid explanation for not being able to perform as well as usual.
Enjoy a Restful Sleep!
While these strategies will help you power through the day, they are only beneficial in the short term. Getting the appropriate amount of sleep at night is essential for your physical and mental health. Though the sleep requirements of every person are different, you should try to maintain a regular sleep-wake cycle.
Observing your sleeping habits can help you dive into your sleep patterns so you can make the necessary changes. Some of the factors that can keep you from falling asleep at night include anxiety or stress, frequent napping, an irregular bedtime schedule, an uncomfortable sleeping environment, overthinking, putting off tasks until evening, and excessive caffeine consumption.
Playing video games, watching TV, using smartphones, or performing other stimulating activities before bed also contributes to sleeplessness. Therefore, you must switch off your phone before going to bed.
