A sudden party, preparing for a report or an overly exciting TV series – sleepless nights happen to everyone. The problems begin when the next morning you have to pull out a ticket for an exam, give a report to colleagues or just do a bunch of important things. We tell you how to perk up if you didn’t get enough sleep.
Turn on the light and open the curtains
As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, try to let some light into the room. For our brain, light is a signal that it’s time to wake up . All thanks to circadian rhythms – changes that occur in the body over 24 hours. They are controlled by a special (and very small ) part of the brain – the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This nucleus reacts to light. When it’s dark around, it triggers the production of melatonin , a hormone that helps us fall asleep. Bright light has the opposite effect: it invigorates and wakes up the body.
Take a cold shower
After it, you can feel cheerful and ready to move mountains. Some even compare the effect of a cold shower to the effect of coffee. Scientists have an explanation for how it works. Cold activates the sympathetic nervous system and increases the level of norepinephrine in the blood and brain. This hormone makes the heart pump blood faster, raises the blood sugar level and thus provides the body with energy. Thanks to norepinephrine, we wake up faster and focus on the necessary tasks.
If you find it difficult to immediately step under ice water, you can gradually accustom yourself to it. For example, try a contrast shower – alternately dousing yourself with warm and cool water.
Drink some water
A glass of water after getting up never hurts. Dehydration can occur due to a lack of fluid in the body. Because of it, we feel exhausted: our head hurts and spins, our mouth dries up.
Fatigue is also a common sign of dehydration. When a person does not drink for at least a day, their consciousness becomes confused , they feel sleepy, they cannot concentrate. It can also work in the opposite direction. Some studies have shown that water increases attentiveness. However, the results were rather subjective: they were reported by the participants themselves, based on their feelings.
Eat an egg, oatmeal or fatty fish
In general, any food is a source of energy. And if you have no energy for anything in the morning, it would not be a bad idea to refuel. Nutritionists recommend minimally processed and nutritious foods rich in magnesium, iron and B vitamins. These microelements are important for energy.
Good breakfast options:
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Oatmeal . A good example of whole grains . Contains magnesium, potassium and fiber, which is good for the stomach (it also helps you feel full longer).
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Fatty fish. A source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They, like any fats, supply the body with energy (one gram of fat contains more calories than a gram of protein or carbohydrates). These acids also support the work of the heart and brain. These components are found not only in expensive trout and salmon, but also, for example, in mackerel.
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Eggs . A source of high-quality protein , they keep you full for a long time. They contain calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin D (its deficiency is associated with fatigue). In 2020, Japanese scientists conducted a small study and found that the peptides and amino acids in egg whites help fight mental fatigue that occurs with heavy mental stress.
People with anemia have an even harder time perking up. Fatigue and weakness are constant companions of this disease (even if you get enough sleep). To help yourself, try to raise your iron levels with red meat, fish, or seafood.
Have some coffee
A cup of coffee in the morning really does invigorate . Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system by blocking adenosine receptors, a substance in the body that makes us feel sleepy. As a result, it is easier to concentrate after half an hour. The effect of coffee lasts from several hours to a whole day.
But there are nuances. Coffee can provoke insomnia . And then it will be a vicious circle: you will not recover overnight, and the next morning you will be sluggish again. So coffee is more of a one-time measure. It will not replace a healthy seven-hour sleep . Moreover, inveterate coffee lovers have a higher risk of withdrawal syndrome. This is the name for the unpleasant symptoms that a person experiences when he suddenly stops drinking coffee. These include headaches, problems with concentration, bad mood and fatigue.
The advantage of coffee is that it can be combined with a nap for a better effect. The idea is to have the caffeine “work” as soon as you wake up (while you sleep, the body will absorb it). In 1997, British scientists conducted a study . They put 12 sleepy people in a car simulator and studied how they cope with monotonous driving. During the break, some participants simply drank coffee, while others dozed in the driver’s seat for another 15 minutes. It turned out that the second group made fewer mistakes on the road.
Whichever option you choose, don’t forget about the daily caffeine intake . For an adult, it’s 400 milligrams. An average cup of coffee contains 80 to 100 milligrams of caffeine. But caffeine is also found in tea , Coca-Cola, chocolate, and cocoa. You need to count everything.
Take a walk or stretch at home
It sounds like the last thing you want to do in the morning. Especially after a sleepless night. But doctors really do recommend moving. This will get your blood flowing and make you feel more energetic. According to American doctors Tony Golen and Hope Ricciotti, when you move, your muscles produce more mitochondria, the energy centers of your cells. They produce energy from the food you eat and the oxygen you breathe. The more of them you have, the more energy your body has.
Even a 15-minute walk is better than nothing. Walking is also useful because sunlight (like any light in principle) invigorates . And if it is raining, windy and slushy outside, you can do an invigorating ten-minute workout at home . For some stretching exercises , you don’t even need to get out of bed.
Try taking a nap
Those who are trying to get their sleep schedule back on track are usually advised not to sleep during the day . It makes it harder to fall asleep in the evening. But there is a special tactic that can work — it is called a power nap. Essentially, it is a short “recharging” sleep of 10–20 minutes. According to pediatric neurologist and MD Sanjeev Kotare, during this time the body does not have time to enter the deep stage of sleep. And it is precisely the abrupt exit from it that is fraught with fatigue and exhaustion.
One small 2006 study found that a short nap can actually invigorate you. And a 10-minute nap was more effective than 20 and 30 minutes. It’s best to take a power nap before 3 p.m. The closer to evening you decide to take a nap, the harder it will be to fall asleep at night.
What not to do
Don’t indulge in sweets
Cookies, buns and chocolate bars quickly raise your blood sugar levels and really give you energy. But the problem is that the effect is short-lived. Within a couple of hours you will feel exhausted and hungry again. It’s like stoking a stove with paper – it burns out quickly, and you have to add more and more.
If you really crave carbohydrates, it is better to choose slow ones – for example, oatmeal, quinoa or whole grain toast. They are like good oak firewood – they “burn” longer and raise blood sugar gradually . With such long-lasting fuel, you will feel energetic longer. Some people notice that after carbohydrates they feel more sleepy than after a balanced or purely protein lunch. So for some, cottage cheese and omelette are more suitable than healthy sandwiches.
American nutritionist Melanie Richter advises to start your meal with proteins and fats, and then add carbohydrates. Before porridge, you can eat, for example, an egg or a piece of cheese. This will balance your insulin and blood sugar levels and you will not feel tired after breakfast.
Don’t drink energy drinks
There are two dangers lurking here : too much sugar and too much caffeine. The latter is found in energy drinks not only in its pure form, but also in various stimulant additives, such as guarana. And it is easier to overdo it with cans of a tasty cool drink than with hot espresso, so the risk from them is higher.
Pregnant women should limit caffeine (and therefore energy drinks). Children are not advised to drink them at all . Those who do not fall into these categories should take precautions. At a minimum, do not mix energy drinks with alcohol (this is a direct path to stroke ), do not drink them instead of water, and do not replace them with a good night’s sleep (this will sooner or later affect your health).