There are many reasons why you might have a sleepless night or go through a period of frequent sleep deprivation: you work shifts, have a small baby, or have simply had several holidays in a row. A study by the mattress brand isleep, published on kakspim.bg, indicates that nearly 76% of Bulgarians have sleep problems, while the average sleep duration is 6 hours and 28 minutes—below the minimum recommended 7 hours.
Even one night without quality (deep) sleep can affect you.
In figures: going 17 to 19 hours without sleep affects you in the same way as having 0.05% alcohol in your blood. Dizziness and lightheadedness can lead to accidents, impair your physical performance, deprive you of some memories as your memory deteriorates, and even create false memories. Here’s how you can help yourself after a sleepless night:
Eat healthily
One night without quality sleep can steer you toward the wrong foods—you need energy, which your body tries to obtain as quickly as possible, from carbohydrates. The truth is that you really will feel a surge of energy if you reach for a croissant or pizza, but this energy will not last long, and after a few hours you will not only feel tired but will also be hungry again. The best choice to feel good after a sleepless night is fish or meat with salad/vegetables. As part of your lunch, you can choose salmon, avocado, olives, grilled meat, seafood, seeds, nuts, eggs, tofu, and more.
Use caffeine strategically
Although caffeine is not a substitute for sleep, it definitely gets you back on your feet quickly. It is a perfectly acceptable part of a healthy diet as long as you do not overdo it. You can consume up to 400 milligrams per day, but keep in mind that this dose also includes the caffeine in tea, soft drinks, and chocolate. How caffeine affects you also depends on factors such as whether you smoke: smokers absorb caffeine significantly faster than non-smokers. Pregnant women, on the other hand, absorb it more slowly than non-pregnant women.
One of the most important rules, regardless of whether you have had a sleepless night or not, is not to drink coffee at least 4 hours before bedtime.
Try to stay active
We know you will probably want to catch up on sleep—which we also recommend with a nap—but find even 10 minutes for a brisk walk, exercise, jumping, running, or a quick Pilates session. You will feel an immediate surge of energy (and satisfaction). What we recommend most is getting moving outdoors. Because of the circadian rhythm, our internal 24-hour clock responds to sunlight and signals to the brain that it is time to be actively awake.
A quick nap
A quick nap that gives you energy without making you wake up feeling even worse is usually no longer than 10–20 minutes. A 5-minute nap would be too short to recharge you, while a 30-minute nap would be too long.
And the favorite place for a quick nap? On a quality mattress, preferably with memory foam, so you can fall asleep quickly without feeling tension in your body.
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