7 Ways to Recover from a Bad Night’s Sleep

We’ve all been there. You’re lying in bed eyes wide open, you’ve barely gotten any sleep, and the alarm is about to go off. You desperately close your eyes hoping to catch some last-minute Zs, but it’s too late. You drag yourself out of bed thinking you’re going to have a bad day.

If this happens to you regularly, I have good news for you. You can turn things around and have a great day using these effective ways to recover from a bad night’s sleep.

1. START YOUR DAY WITH A COLD SHOWER.

This may sound like torture, but it actually helps. A cold shower forces you to breathe deeply, which increases your oxygen intake.

Getting more oxygen increases your blood flow and alertness. Research also shows that exposure to cold helps lower uric acid levels. This is important, since there’s a link between stress and uric acid levels. 

2. EAT A NUTRIENT-PACKED BREAKFAST.

Many of us know that what we eat for breakfast determines our mood throughout the day.

Therefore, after a bad night’s sleep, start your day with a breakfast centered on unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods. An ideal vegan breakfast, for example, would be sweet potatoes, quinoa and avocado.

3. DON’T DRINK TOO MUCH COFFEE.

A cup of coffee in the morning can set your day off on the right foot, but it’s not a good idea to fight your afternoon slump with coffee.

It takes an average of six hours for caffeine to leave your system, which means drinking coffee in the afternoon can prevent you from falling asleep at night.

4. AVOID HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

You may be tempted to sleep in for a few minutes, but that won’t make up for the lost sleep. It can actually throw off your body clock and cause sleepless again at night.

Get up at your normal waking time, and go about your business.

5. GET OUT AND EXPOSE YOURSELF TO SUNLIGHT.

Sunlight exposure will help boost your mood, since it triggers the release of endorphins, which make us feel good.

Go for a 20-minute walk as early as possible. The light from the sun will stop the release of melatonin, making you feel more awake.

6. AVOID TAKING LONG NAPS.

If you read this article, you know that long naps can be disastrous for your health. One of their biggest disadvantages is that they interfere with your nighttime sleep.

Keep your naps short, between 10 and 30 minutes. You may want to skip them altogether, if you’re struggling with sleeplessness every other night.

7. DO NOT GO TO BED EARLIER THAN USUAL.

Avoid going to bed earlier than usual, even if you’re sleepy. Sleeping longer hours won’t help you recover, it’ll only make you wake up feeling tired. As long as you get the recommended eight hours of sleep the next night, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed.