Caffeine from coffee, tea, or energy drinks will give you a real, short-term energy boost. It will make you feel more awake and alert. Caffeine counteracts the build-up of sleep hormones in your brain, but only to a point. You won’t get much benefit after the second or third cup of coffee. Instead, you’ll get jittery. Try not to drink caffeine after about 4 pm, as it can interfere with your sleep later that night.
Instead, try to eat whole grains, protein, and some fruit. Aim for foods that give a steady energy supply and keep your blood sugar stable. Make sure to stay hydrated, too. Drink water or eat foods with high water content, like vegetables and fleshy fruit. You might be tempted by an energy drink, which will give you a fast shot of sugar and caffeine. However, the high is usually followed by a big crash. Check the sugar content if you go this route and try to pick a low-sugar or sugar free label.
Take a walk outside, for example. The light exercise and natural light should recharge your brain. Exercise is great for the sleep-deprived. Just take it easy. You’re more likely to get injured if you exercise while fatigued. Try a cat-nap, too. A short snooze of no more than 25 minutes will leave you feeling energized. More than that and you can wake up groggy.
Use moderation. It’s OK to add a bit more time to either end of your night’s sleep, but don’t overdo it. Try to wait until about an hour before your normal bed time to retire for the night, for example. Limit your sleep-in to two hours or less the next morning. If you usually get seven hours of sleep, go for nine.
Don’t drive or use heavy machinery if you are tired and sleepy. Be particularly careful in the early afternoon – this is when people feel the most drowsy during the day. If you can’t stay off the roads, try to carpool, use transit, or take a power-nap immediately before you drive. Go without sunglasses, too, as natural light makes you feel more energetic.
You might plan to get to bed at 11 pm and wake up at 7 am, for 8 hours of sleep, for example. Or, maybe you’ll try to get 9 hours by going to bed at 9 pm and waking up at 6 am. Either way, don’t stay up too late. Chances are that you have to get up in the morning for work or school. A late night will mean cutting into your overall sleep time.
For example, make sure that it’s dark when you sleep. Have the lights off. Light helps to restart your body in the morning, on the other hand. Open the blinds, go outside for a few minutes, or at least turn on the lights when you wake up. A little bit of light activity will also help rouse you in the morning. Walk around your room or house for a few minutes or do some light stretches.
Try waking up the first day at your target time, say 7 am. Go to bed the next night at 11 pm. You might not feel tired at 11 pm, at first, and that is OK. If you keep getting up at the same hour, your body will slowly adjust and in a few days you should be ready to hit the sack at 11 pm. Stick to your wake-up time no matter what, even on mornings when you’ve lost sleep.
Set your alarm for a wake-up time. Say your goal is 6:30 am. At first, set your alarm for 7 am. Then, shave off a couple of minutes each day until you get to your target. It will only take 2 weeks to shave off a half hour. Don’t ride the snooze button. You may love the snooze button, but it’s actually hurting your sleep. Snoozing makes your body think it’s still time for sleeping rather than for waking up – this is called “sleep inertia” and it makes you feel groggy. [12] X Research source
Some people believe that certain colors promote rest. Try yellows and soft blues, for example, which are supposed to help you relax. Stay away from red and purple hues, which stimulate the mind. [13] X Research source Furnish your bed with soft pillows and other downy blankets or comforters. Try using the same sleep-inducing colors for them.
Decrease the amount of light that filters into your bedroom, too. Turn off the lights at night, but also close the blinds and curtains. Consider investing in a pair of heavy-duty blackout curtains. [15] X Research source Get rid of or drown out noise, as well. Start wearing earplugs to eliminate sounds that disturb you. Or, consider drowning out the noise with low-level sound, from a white noise generator or soft, ambient music.
Electronic devices have backlit screens that suppress your body’s production of a hormone called “melatonin,” which helps us sleep. Unplug or power down your devices at least one or two hours before you go to bed.
Try taking a warm shower. If you have access to one, a short dip in a Jacuzzi tub can be very peaceful. You might also lay down and read a good book for a half hour. Find one that you like but that’s enough of a challenge to make your eyelids droop. Dim the lighting to let your body know that bedtime is approaching. A lower wattage bulb works well, as does candle light. Just be careful – don’t nod off with a candle burning unattended.
Try to avoid ingesting caffeine after about 2 or 3 pm. If you need a little pick-me-up in the late afternoon or evening, try lightly steeped black tea or green tea. Both have much less caffeine than coffee. Another tip is to “cut” your coffee in the afternoon with ½ or ¾ decaffeinated coffee. You’ll still get the taste, but suffer less later.
You get less deep and restorative sleep when you drink before bed, especially of the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) kind you need to dream. Sleepers under the influence of alcohol also tend to wake up more often and are more tired the following day. If you like a beverage before bed, consider sipping on some hot cocoa or chamomile tea. The warmth can make you drowsy. Warm milk is another classic, sleep-inducing beverage.
For the most part, more is merrier when it comes to exercise. Try an aerobic exercise like walking, running, biking, or swimming. Exercising will boost your mood, metabolism, and whole system. However, avoid doing it too close to bedtime. Those boosts might also sabotage your night’s sleep.
Make sure your late-night beverage is soothing and caffeine-free, as said. Don’t eat large portions or heavy foods. High-fat or large meals take a lot of work for the body to digest. All the rumblings might keep you up and alert.
You might have to do a sleep study. This involves spending the night sleeping at a medical facility, hooked up to electrodes, where experts can measure your body functions and brain waves. Your doctor could recommend melatonin. This come as a pill supplement and does not need a prescription. It’s quite safe. [22] X Trustworthy Source FamilyDoctor. org Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors Go to source Your doctor could also prescribe a sleep aid like Ambien or Lunesta. Be aware that some prescription aids are habit-forming or cause grogginess. Talk with your doctor about possible side-effects. As always, only take medication that has been prescribed to you.
