How to Recover from a Sleepless Night

If you spent the night without closing your eyesWhether you're studying, working, or just having fun, you can follow a few simple and effective steps to avoid a day of total exhaustion, especially if you have to do your usual activities that you can't or don't want to delegate to anyone else.

Index of topics

Wake up early

Wake up as early as possible, avoiding snoozing to catch up on lost sleep, and let natural light into your room. Studies have shown that sunlight increases serotonin levels (known as the feel-good hormone) in the brain. This hormone significantly improves concentration, promoting a sense of calm. Also, avoid wearing sunglasses when you go out in the morning.

Warm shower

After a night spent keeping vigil, take a nice warm shower Or, if you can, very cold water, because ice-cold water oxygenates you and improves circulation. Furthermore, according to some experts, cold water forces you to take longer breaths, thanks to the stimulation it exerts on the respiratory system. This allows blood to reach the organs more quickly, enhancing brain function.

The breakfast

Breakfast plays a crucial role. Don't overdo it, but focus on yogurt, cereal, fruit, muesli, and dried fruit. This way, you'll get plenty of protein and fiber. You can also opt for a coffee or cappuccino to pair with bread and jam (for a carbohydrate intake): this way, you'll start off feeling more energized. You can also drink coffee in the late morning, as doctors recommend, because this beverage inhibits the production of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal gland at the behest of the brain. Cortisol is called the "stress hormone" and is important because in times of stress, it causes blood sugar and fat levels to rise, providing the body with the energy it needs. Avoid coffee after 3:00 PM, because caffeine takes a full 30 minutes to enter the bloodstream and remains in the body for seven hours: this could further cause insomnia problems.

Drink plenty of water

Staying hydrated is essential after a sleepless night. Drink plenty of water and fruit juices, absolutely avoiding energy drinks that are high in caffeine and therefore stimulants. Also avoid alcoholic beverages, which can affect your already slow reflexes and make you drowsy. You can also chew some ice, if it doesn't bother you. Chewing wakes up the body, and the ice hydrates it, cooling it for a long time.

How to face the day

When you arrive at the officeIn the morning, take care of the most important and challenging tasks immediately, because you're more alert. During the morning, you may feel the effects of lack of sleep and be less energetic. That's why, during the rest of the workday, you should focus only on simple tasks that don't require much concentration.
Eat lightly for lunch, eating carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and cereals, avoiding fats and sugars which would increase your tiredness and induce drowsiness.
If you can, take a nap, lasting just 20 minutes, which regenerates and wakes you up. It's a good idea to drink a coffee upon awakening to eliminate the normal feeling of grogginess.
After a sleepless night, do some physical exercise but don't overdo itEven a simple walk outdoors, in the sunshine, is more than fine. Take the stairs if you live in an apartment building or park further away than usual on your way to work, so you'll be forced to move more.
In the evening, dinner should be as light as lunch, because foods that are too heavy could cause discomfort and difficulty falling asleep. Don't go to bed too early despite obvious tiredness. Try to maintain your normal habits so as not to overly disrupt your sleep/wake rhythm. Avoid television because intermittent light interferes with melatonin, which regulates the sleep/wake rhythm.

The coffee

Coffee is certainly an excellent fuel for recovering from a sleepless night. But let's not overdo it. There could be three doses throughout the day after a sleepless night: the first in the morning at breakfast; the second during the morning at work; the third after 15 pm. Caffeine takes about half an hour to take effect, but it can linger in the body for up to seven hours: if we continue drinking coffee, we risk another sleepless night. The decaffeinated option is useless, as it doesn't help us recover from a sleepless night.

The nap

If we've had a sleepless night and are used to taking an afternoon nap, we should skip a round. The risk is that we fall asleep and go on for many more hours than the previously limited time we'd planned for a day. healthy afternoon napThe risk is destabilizing the physiological sleep-wake cycle and throwing our bodies off-kilter. The same goes for our bedtime. After a sleepless night, it's very likely that in the evening we'll feel a craving to go to sleep early, even earlier than usual. We need to resist. Perhaps by going for a walk in the fresh air, to get to the conventional bedtime our body is used to.

What happens if you don't sleep at night?

Lack of sleep can have various consequences. But even a sleepless night, if you don't recover quickly, doesn't go away without leaving some scars. These are the most important ones.

It increases daytime sleepiness, at any time of day.
It decreases the ability to pay attention and concentrate.
You become more irritable and less tolerant.
Anxiety is growing, even if completely unjustified.
There is an increased risk of being overweight and obese.

Natural remedies

There are a thousand good reasons to avoid sleeping pills. And there are many natural remedies To combat insomnia. From a warm bath before bed to a well-decorated bedroom. And first of all, there's a serious mistake to avoid: insomnia is best fought by turning off all electronic devices at bedtime and postponing anything tech-related until the next day.

What to do when you can't sleep

When you can't sleep, for whatever reason, you shouldn't force your body to stay in bed and hope for a miracle. It's better to get up and do something, even take a hot bath. Then, once you're back in bed, resume reading a book that will lead you to the arms of Morpheus.

How to recover from a sleepless night