Nighttime flies when you are hangover, sick, talking on the phone, or deep diving on social media. Before you know it, you are waking up late, regret kicks in and you start to dread the day.
No matter what you have to do during the day, you don't have to sacrifice your health even further to stay upbeat.
This is not a recipe for bad sleep habits, but once in a while, we all get that short night.
Don't freak out
One night of poor sleep will not have long-term consequences on your health or job. Everyone gets a bad night. You may feel exhausted and irritable so panicking will only make your nerves worse. Take it slow and don't dwell on it because your body will compensate.
Hydrate
Drink lots of water, especially if you are sick or hangover. Usually, the body can handle low hydration when everything else is working properly. But you will feel increasingly tired throughout the day if you're dehydrated.
Don't drive/operate heavy machinery
Sleep deprivation may make you unfit to drive. Make the call and get public transport means for your safety and the safety of others. Not just in the morning, avoid driving throughout the day. Especially in the early afternoon when that dip in concentration hits.
Avoid sugars and caffeine
You may feel more hungry than usual. Because you don't have much energy anyway, you can reach for snacks with high-calorie content. You may also be tempted to binge on coffee and other energy beverages.
However, the sugar rush and energy rush will lead to a body crash from declining blood sugar. You will feel more tired than before. Keep your meals light and balanced.
Make your day simple
You will not be the most productive after a poor night's sleep. Simplify your tasks as much as possible. Delegate or push some tasks. Avoid committing to things and making significant decisions when you are in this state.
Walk
Give yourself as much physical movement as possible, and give your body as much fresh air and light. Your muscles will get that boost for alertness and wakefulness. Push other workouts to the next day because you are more likely to hurt yourself when sleepy and vigorous activity will burn you out.