Using your social media feed as your modern-day bedtime story can actually be more problematic than helpful. Leaving your phone on the kitchen counter to charge during bedtime is more of a preventive measure against poor sleep, and is a great way to test and see if it affects how tired you are during the day. “I recommend people go to sleep when they’re sleepy, not when it’s forced,” says Billings. “You can go to bed a little earlier but going to bed too early could mess up your sleep cycle.” Relying on electronics at bedtime Here’s why: Common knowledge suggests that going to bed earlier or sleeping in late could help you “catch up” on the hours of sleep missed the night before. The math may technically seem sound, but the result might not leave you feeling fully rested.īillings says the go-to-bed-earlier approach can perpetuate insomnia and poor sleep because you’re spending too much time in bed. It’s tempting to go to sleep early after a night of poor sleep, but it’s recommended to wait a bit before hitting the hay. What not to do when you’ve had poor sleep Forcing sleep Sitting in the sunlight for 30 minutes (especially after waking up), or even the outside smells can jump-start your senses. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest and the sun is asleep for the winter (lucky sun), artificial sun lamps can be helpful. The sun can act as the body’s natural clock and regulate our circadian rhythms. If you’re feeling the drowsiness hit, try to push through and stay awake by giving your brain a little bit of activation, like getting some sun or fresh air. Motivating yourself to get your body moving and go outside when you’re beyond exhausted can seem like an exhausting task - and it might be what you need. If you go to bed around 10 p.m., then stop the caffeine intake by 1 p.m. The caffeine buzz could successfully keep you awake and alert until you can rest at the end of the day but try not to use it for that late-afternoon slump. “We usually recommend not drinking caffeinated drinks much after 2 p.m.,” says Billings, “but it depends on your waking hours. If you have a typical bedtime of 10 or 11 p.m., it’s OK to drink one to two cups, ideally not more than three cups a day on a routine basis.” Billings says that caffeine in moderation can potentially make functioning during the day easier. And it’s actually A-OK to have your daily morning cup of joe. We get it, the snooze button and an extra shot of espresso go together. But do what you need, as there are certain conditions where it’s important to stay alert.” Caffeinating “Ideally go for a walk or stay active instead of a nap. “Short naps can help you stay focused,” says Billings. Longer naps can often be less restorative. But if you need to drive somewhere or need to be really alert for work, it’s OK to take a short nap.”īillings recommends that your naptime should be an hour or less, otherwise you risk waking up groggier than before. “I often encourage people to push through so they don’t go to bed that night and struggle to fall asleep.
“Ideally you don’t want to take a long nap or a late afternoon nap because it makes it hard to get to sleep the following night,” says Billings. But try to only resort to a nap if you really can’t avoid the crash. How to stay awake after a night of poor sleep Napping Regardless of the reason, there are ways to push through and stay awake after a night of little sleep. There are over 80 known sleep disorders, some of which are rare. If poor sleep occurs frequently, it could be caused by an underlying sleep disorder, Billings says. Sleep disorders like chronic insomnia (the most common), sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome could also cause poor nights of sleep. One common cause of poor sleep is, you guessed it, stress. Whether it’s an upcoming deadline or big event, stress can cause your body to be hyperaroused, awake and unable to settle down to sleep.Įnvironmental influences can also impact your sleep. For example, it’s definitely hard to doze off when your upstairs neighbor is once again vacuuming their unit at 10 p.m. Martha Billings, a doctor at the Sleep Medicine Center at Harborview, says that every human will occasionally have a poor night’s sleep - and it’s completely normal. That’s a lot of us who are very, very tired on some (or most) days.ĭr. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 31.6% of adults 18 and over get insufficient sleep.
#I dont sleep full#
Sleep is essential to function efficiently, but many factors can impact your ability to get a full night of sleep. If you find yourself drifting off in the middle of afternoon meetings, here are some realistic ways to stay awake - until you can crawl back into bed. If you once dreaded kindergarten nap time, but now yearn for those moments of consequence-free rest - you’re in the right place. And yes, we’re exhausted too.
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