Have Lots of Energy After Having Little Sleep

One of the main side effects of not getting enough sleep is tiredness. If you find yourself on the other side of a bad night of sleep, you'll need enough energy to get through the day. Fortunately, you can take some simple steps to stay energized.

Steps

Waking Up

  1. Use sunlight to your advantage. Sunlight and even other bright lights in your house can help signal to your body that it's time to get up. By getting into bright light just after waking up, whether by going outside or flooding your bedroom with light, you alert your body to the fact that it's time to start the day, giving you more energy for the morning.[1]
  2. Get your morning caffeine fix. Caffeine can give you a boost of energy. It stops the cells in your body from accepting adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that tells your cells to sleep. Caffeine tells those same cells to wake up, and it encourages faster brain function.[2]
    • Coffee, tea, and many sodas all contain caffeine. For instance, a cup of green tea has 24 to 45 milligrams of caffeine in a cup, while a coffee can have anywhere from 95 to 200 milligrams.[3]
    • Try not to drink more that 200mg (one to two 5-oz cups of coffee) each day.[4] While this number can vary depending on your weight, sensitivity, and sex, but you should never drink more than 600mg a day (between four and seven cups). And avoid caffeine pills, which people often turn to when overtired. These can be very dangerous and even fatal.[4]
    • Because you build up a tolerance if you drink coffee every day, try to save it for the times when you really need it.[5]
  3. Use a shower cycle to wake up. A warm or hot shower can make you feel sleepy instead of awake. However, you can counteract the effect by using a cold-hot-cold cycle at the end. That is, when you're finished cleaning yourself up, switch the shower to cold for 30 seconds. Next, switch it back to hot for 30 seconds. Finally, go back to cold for 30 seconds. This cycle gets your blood pumping and increases your energy for the day.[6]

Keeping Your Energy Up With Consumables

  1. Skip the sugar. Instead of eating a ton of sugar, which is tempting to do when you're tired, try eating complex carbohydrates and protein. Sugar can give you a rush of energy, but then your energy will crash. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, offer more sustained energy, especially when you pair them with protein.[7]
    • For instance, try some natural peanut butter on whole-wheat bread or a piece of fruit with a slice of cheese.
  2. Make hydration a priority. Dehydration can lead to fatigue. Therefore, staying hydrated will help keep your energy up. Try sipping on water throughout the day to make sure you get enough.
    • The Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink 13 cups and women drink 9 cups of water every day.[8]
    • Other liquids can contribute to your water intake, such as juice and coffee. However, drinking too much juice can pack on extra calories and cause a sugar crash, so try to limit your intake. Also, though you can count caffeinated beverages, you shouldn't make them the majority of the liquid you drink in a day.[9]
  3. Try a piece of gum. Keeping something in your mouth, such as a piece of gum, can help increase your alertness. The best time for this type of trick is when you're in a meeting that you absolutely need to stay awake for.[10]

Increasing Energy With Other Tricks

  1. Try a short nap. If you find you just can't keep your eyes open, even a short nap can help restore your energy. In fact, a 10 to 20 minute nap is all you need; any longer, and you can go into deep sleep, leaving you feeling groggy.[11]
    • If you can't take a nap, try paradoxical relaxation. Take a moment to close your eyes. In your mind, focus on one muscle group, such as your shoulder and back muscles. Concentrate on what you're feeling in those muscles for about 15 seconds. Repeat with other muscles in your body. Doing so can give you some of the benefits of taking a short nap without having to conk out.[12]
  2. Keep the light coming. Light not only helps you wake up, it can help you stay energized for the rest of the day. To help get over the slump of the afternoon, make sure you throw your curtains open, letting in plenty of natural light.[13]
  3. Turn on some music. Music can help increase your energy when you're sagging, according to one study. To help even more, tap along with the beat or hum, which ups your alertness.[14]
    • If lyrics distract you, try picking an instrumental piece that has energy.
    • As an added bonus, music can help ease tension.[14]
  4. Take breaks to walk around. When you're sitting for long periods of time, you're going to feel more sleepy. Just getting up every hour or so and walking around can help boost your energy and keep you alert when you sit back down.[15]
  5. Take a moment to laugh. Whether it's catching a few minutes talking with your coworkers or peers or pulling up a funny internet meme, a laugh can be good for you. It gets your blood flowing, leaving you more energized.[16]
  6. Use aromatherapy. Certain scents can help you stay awake. For instance, you can use scents such as peppermint, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary to help keep you alert. Try taking a whiff of essential oils or burning a candle in one of those scents; you can also try a scented lotion.[17]
  7. Step outside. Stepping outside, particularly in a green area, for just 20 minutes a day can boost your energy. If you're feeling sluggish because you didn't get enough sleep, try heading to the park at lunchtime to help get you through the afternoon.[18]

Tips

  • Skip alcohol, which can make you tired.
  • Don't get warm or comfortable. Try to move or do something to keep your mind away from thinking about sleep.

Warnings

  • If you don't get enough sleep day after day, it will take its toll. These tips may help you in getting through one or two days, but keeping a regular sleep schedule is best if at all possible.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20567286_2,00.html
  2. ↑ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285194.php#how_does_caffeine_affect_the_body
  3. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.fda.gov/downloads/UCM200805.pdf
  5. ↑ http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/18/caffeine-powder-poses-deadly-risks-2/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1409232722000&bicmet=1419773522000&_r=1
  6. ↑ http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/241614
  7. ↑ http://studenthealth.emory.edu/hp/documents/pdfs/pdfs_smartfood.pdf
  8. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
  9. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256?pg=2
  10. ↑ http://greatist.com/happiness/28-scientifically-proven-ways-boost-energy-instantly
  11. ↑ http://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/sleep-myths-making-you-tired
  12. ↑ http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20567286_4,00.html
  13. ↑ http://greatist.com/happiness/28-scientifically-proven-ways-boost-energy-instantly
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18563971
  15. ↑ http://www.cengagebrain.com/blog/2013/10/improve-study-habits-how-to-stay-awake-healthily/
  16. ↑ http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20559973_4,00.html
  17. ↑ http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/how-stay-awake-work-without-caffeine.html
  18. ↑ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603172219.htm
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