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How to Have a Great Day After a Bad Night’s Sleep
Most of us know it’s optimal to get 8 hours of sleep per night.
The benefits of sleep for our health, happiness, and productivity have been well-documented. We simply need sleep to be at our best.
But sometimes 8 hours just isn’t in the cards.
Whether because of work stress, a crying baby, or some other late-night disturbance, we are sometimes forced to function on 4–5 hours of sleep (or less).
When that is the case, should we just resign ourselves to a day filled with moodiness and limited output? Or are there some strategies to counteract the effects of little sleep?
Fortunately, there are some effective ways to survive (and even thrive) after a night of tossing and turning.
Try this routine the next time you’re short on sleep:
- Force yourself to get up and exercise. I personally find that a 30-minute run in the morning is worth an extra 2 hours of sleep and makes me feel close to how I typically would during a well-rested workday. It may not be your finest workout after limited shut-eye but working up a sweat will make you feel sharper and more alert afterwards.
- Follow exercise with a cold shower, which has been shown to increase mood, alertness, and energy.
