There comes a time in which we’re all hit by a sudden deadline or a last minute project that absolutely needs to be finished and we do the unthinkable: We stay up all night. Pulling an all nighter is part and parcel of adult life and while those moments might be few and far between, they can have significant consequences on our health. Catching up on lost sleep is actually a very hard thing to do and after a few lost hours, we can end up feeling groggy, burned out and generally under the weather.
If your all nighter is absolutely unavoidable, there are a number of simple methods you can use in order to right any wrongs and get back on track. The day after you don’t sleep might be the most difficult but over time, you can begin to feel remarkably more healthy. Are you ready to feel brighter and better? It’s time to learn how to bounce back.
Take A Nap
It might seem like the most obvious way to recover from an all nighter but regular napping can actually be more helpful than you might have initially thought. Short bursts of sleep can help your body to recover from sleep deprivation, enabling it to perform essential recovery processes while you momentarily switch off. Sleeping for too long can have the adverse effect and leave you feeling all the more groggy, so make sure you don’t sleep for any longer than 45 minutes at a time. Over the following days, try to fit in a little extra sleep when you can to help your body to recover. You might be back on track before you know it!
Drink Extra Water
Hydrating yourself is one of the best ways to wake up both your body and your mind and when you’re feeling extra tired, getting sufficient water can help dramatically. Mild dehydration can have a detrimental effect on your brain’s ability to focus and concentrate and when you miss out on sleep, it is essential that you help your body’s processes to function normally. Water might not give you the same feeling as a shot of caffeine but over time, it will have a much more beneficial effect on your body and mind.
Rest Your Body
Although you might not always want to, taking time off from your workout schedule can only help your body to recover from a lack of sleep. Despite the fact that exercise might help you to feel more energized in normal situations, when you’re dealing with a lack of sleep, it can only exacerbate the situation. Your performance level might be significantly reduced and you might even lack normal coordination after pulling an all nighter. Take a day or two off from the gym; your body is not going to change during that time.
Stretch Your Muscles
If you do want to feel more energized and awake, stretching out your limbs is a great idea and can work as a temporary alternative to spending time at the gym. If you want to feel a little better about yourself, a quick yoga session can work wonders. As you stretch your muscles, you effectively help to remove toxins from internal organs by applying pressure to them. Better yet, yoga’s deep breathing exercises can help you to recover even more quickly, increasing the flow of oxygenated blood around your body. A quick stretching session can leave you feeling instantly revitalized and all the more fresh.
Fuel Your Body
The more tired that we feel, the less likely we are to make healthy eating choices but after pulling an all nighter, how we fuel our body is more important than ever. While sugary snacks can give you a quick burst of energy, they will essentially leave you feeling worse than before you ate them, causing your blood sugar level to come crashing down. Eating slow release whole foods is the best way that you can help your body to recover and bounce back from a lack of sleep. Complex carbohydrates like brown rice and quinoa can give you the lasting energy you deserve. Combining them with lean proteins like fish and and chicken will only boost your awakeness, helping your body to get back on track.