What if it were possible for you to feel well and be productive after a night of too little or poor quality sleep?
It all depends on what you choose to do when you get out of bed… If you anticipate feeling bad all day, drink nothing but coffee, grumble at the first person you see, skip breakfast and let your thoughts run negatively wild, you’ll make your day much more difficult than it needs to be.
When you make these choices, you set yourself up for an unpleasant day and another night of poor sleep… and on the cycle will go.
So how can you change this pattern and help yourself function well after a night of poor sleep?
Here are 6 steps to having energy and being productive when you don’t get enough sleep…
By giving your body and mind what they need to rebalance and function well, you will feel well, be able to get things done and more likely have a better night of sleep ahead.
1. Accept how you feel
Your first thoughts set the course for the day, so choose them carefully! Resisting, judging and analyzing how you feel uses up a lot of energy and causes you to feel worse. If you accept how you feel and that you didn’t get enough sleep, you can get on with helping yourself feel better.
2. Drink half a litre of water
When you get up in the morning, you have not had anything to drink for an extended period of time… so you are dehydrated and need to drink water. When you don’t drink water after sleeping, you cause physical stress, constipation and digestive problems (to name only a few). Do yourself a favour and drink half a litre of water as soon as you get up.
3. Eat a protein-rich breakfast
Your blood sugar levels are low after sleeping, because you have not eaten food for a long time. Protein rebalances your blood sugar levels, feeds your brain so you can think clearly and reduces cravings for sugar and caffeine.
4. Spend 5 – 10 minutes in bright light
Light wakes you up by stimulating the production of ‘wake up’ hormones in your body and brain… so get into the brightest light you can and take a few deep breaths. I like to eat my breakfast in the morning sun.
5. Go easy on stimulants during the afternoon and evening
It’s tempting to drink lots of coffee, eat sugar or smoke in an attempt to keep yourself going. The truth is that stimulants make you feel more exhausted once the initial high wears off. They can also cause you to feel agitated and unable to unwind in the evening. So go easy on stimulants during the day… especially in the afternoon and evening, so you can be sure to get a better nights sleep. Try drinking more water and taking little breaks as often as you can. Just 2 – 5 minutes of sitting quietly or walking around the block will lift your energy levels in a much more sustainable way than consuming stimulants.
6. Plan a relaxing evening and anticipate sleeping well
If you anticipate that you will feel bad in the evening and have another restless night sleep, you will. This is because thoughts always precede actions and your actions determine what you will experience. On the other hand, if you plan to give yourself what you need to relax and unwind in the evening and have a good nights sleep, you will more than likely have that experience.
Accepting how you feel and giving yourself what you need to be well and wind down into sleep, are the keys to sleeping well and feeling great all the time.
Anna
