What we do once we drag ourselves out of the bed often have a big impact on how our day pans out. Here are five things to do in the morning after a bad night’s sleep:
1. The alarm goes off: Resist the temptation to snooze.
I know it’s easier said than done, but give it a try. Those few minutes of sleep we buy ourselves with the snooze button isn’t the restorative kind that keeps us alert for the rest of the day.
Power move: You’d do yourself a world of good if you set the alarm for the latest possible time the moment when you must leave the bed and start to pull yourself together in order to reach the office on time – so that you get the maximum amount of shut-eye.
2. It’s a sunny day: Slide those curtains and let the sunshine in.
When exposed to sunlight, our bodies stop producing melatonin, a chemical that makes us sleepy. The body also gets the signal, “it’s time to get going.”
Power move:
Don’t reach for that large cup of joe to recharge yourself first thing in the morning. While caffeine increases alertness, the timing of your intake is crucial for it to do the trick.
We feel groggy when we wake up, something researchers call sleep inertia, but after half an hour or so, the fog begins to lift off.
After the sleep inertia phase, you’ll feel the energy kicking in – a phase when alertness returns – making it the least effective time to have coffee.
3. Your stomach’s empty: Eat breakfast.
A lot has been written about the importance of eating breakfast, which improves cognitive performance and boosts our mood for the early part of the day.
But the key here is to eat healthy. Sleep-deprived individuals are more prone to eating stuff that spikes sugar and insulin levels, like a doughnut, which causes a surge in energy for a very short time only to make it come crashing down after about 20 minutes.
Power move: Like the snooze button, this one too requires a lot of willpower. Stick to whole grains and healthy proteins, like oatmeal or scrambled eggs, and throw in an apple.
4. But you need a jolt: (Now) have caffeine.
If you’ve held back on that urge to drink coffee up until now, pat yourself on the back and pour a cup but only a small cup as experts recommend limiting your caffeine intake to 400 milligrams a day. For reference, an eight-ounce cup of regular coffee has 100 milligrams, so take it slow.
Power move:
Research shows that four cups of coffee contain all the caffeine you need to keep you alert for the rest of the day. Hence, drink wisely.
If coffee makes you jittery, sip some green tea. It contains caffeine and epigallocatechin, a compound known to have a relaxing effect while making you more attentive.
5. You’re feeling a lot better: Go outside and (if possible) exercise.
Natural light increases alertness and raises our body temperatures. It also helps to reset our circadian rhythm, which gets disrupted after a bad night’s sleep.
People are more inclined to skip the exercise bit if they’re sleep deprived, but that won’t help matters much.
Tell yourself you’re going to workout for 15 minutes. Once you start, you’re more likely to continue as you feel more energized.
Power move: Even if you can’t squeeze in a full-blown workout, 20 minutes on your bike can decrease fatigue by as much as 65 percent, notes a University of Georgia study.
The key here is to move your body, so it doesn’t matter whether you climb stairs or do a full-body circuit training.
If you can’t squeeze in a physical activity, though, walk to the subway or bus stop as you head to work.
I know it’s easier said than done, but give it a try. Those few minutes of sleep we buy ourselves with the snooze button isn’t the restorative kind that keeps us alert for the rest of the day.
Power move: You’d do yourself a world of good if you set the alarm for the latest possible time the moment when you must leave the bed and start to pull yourself together in order to reach the office on time – so that you get the maximum amount of shut-eye.
2. It’s a sunny day: Slide those curtains and let the sunshine in.
When exposed to sunlight, our bodies stop producing melatonin, a chemical that makes us sleepy. The body also gets the signal, “it’s time to get going.”
Power move:
Don’t reach for that large cup of joe to recharge yourself first thing in the morning. While caffeine increases alertness, the timing of your intake is crucial for it to do the trick.
We feel groggy when we wake up, something researchers call sleep inertia, but after half an hour or so, the fog begins to lift off.
After the sleep inertia phase, you’ll feel the energy kicking in – a phase when alertness returns – making it the least effective time to have coffee.
3. Your stomach’s empty: Eat breakfast.
A lot has been written about the importance of eating breakfast, which improves cognitive performance and boosts our mood for the early part of the day.
But the key here is to eat healthy. Sleep-deprived individuals are more prone to eating stuff that spikes sugar and insulin levels, like a doughnut, which causes a surge in energy for a very short time only to make it come crashing down after about 20 minutes.
Power move: Like the snooze button, this one too requires a lot of willpower. Stick to whole grains and healthy proteins, like oatmeal or scrambled eggs, and throw in an apple.
4. But you need a jolt: (Now) have caffeine.
If you’ve held back on that urge to drink coffee up until now, pat yourself on the back and pour a cup but only a small cup as experts recommend limiting your caffeine intake to 400 milligrams a day. For reference, an eight-ounce cup of regular coffee has 100 milligrams, so take it slow.
Power move:
Research shows that four cups of coffee contain all the caffeine you need to keep you alert for the rest of the day. Hence, drink wisely.
If coffee makes you jittery, sip some green tea. It contains caffeine and epigallocatechin, a compound known to have a relaxing effect while making you more attentive.
5. You’re feeling a lot better: Go outside and (if possible) exercise.
Natural light increases alertness and raises our body temperatures. It also helps to reset our circadian rhythm, which gets disrupted after a bad night’s sleep.
People are more inclined to skip the exercise bit if they’re sleep deprived, but that won’t help matters much.
Tell yourself you’re going to workout for 15 minutes. Once you start, you’re more likely to continue as you feel more energized.
Power move: Even if you can’t squeeze in a full-blown workout, 20 minutes on your bike can decrease fatigue by as much as 65 percent, notes a University of Georgia study.
The key here is to move your body, so it doesn’t matter whether you climb stairs or do a full-body circuit training.
If you can’t squeeze in a physical activity, though, walk to the subway or bus stop as you head to work.
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