“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”
Maybe you stayed awake all night because of your newborn, struggled through night sweats, or tossed and turned due to jet lag. In any case, not getting enough sleep can make the next day feel impossible to get through—plus, clocking enough hours in bed is important for your overall health.
“Sleep is important for memory and cognition,” says Rachel Salas, MD, is a professor of neurology and an assistant medical director at Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to get sick, and even one night of poor sleep can negatively impact your metabolism, which can lead to weight gain, she says. Plus, bad sleep can totally wreck your mood the next day.
Meet the experts: Rachel Salas, MD, is a professor of neurology and an assistant medical director at Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness. Rebecca Robbins, PhD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate scientist in the Sleep and Circadian Disorders Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The good news: Getting back on track after a single night of poor sleep isn’t super complicated. Below, check out expert tips on how to recuperate after a terrible night of sleep.
Acute Vs. Chronic Sleep Deprivation
“We can think about poor sleep in two ways,” says Rebecca Robbins, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. First there’s the obvious types, like not scoring enough hours of sleep or struggling with “middle-of-the-night awakenings,” she says. But then there’s a sneakier type of poor sleep, which is when you feel exhausted even when you’ve slept for a solid amount of time, Robbins says. (This one is mostly attributed to sleep disorders, which should be treated by a doctor.)
Robbins says that you shouldn’t be too concerned if you suffer from a bad night of sleep once in a while. (However, if you struggle with symptoms of insomnia, like difficulty falling or staying asleep three times per week for three months or longer, it’s best to connect with a healthcare provider to help address the issue, she and Salas say.)
Generally, you should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night, per the National Institute of Health (NIH). Since it’s a wide range, you might need to play around with the amount of hours you sleep that help you feel your best (and give you high sleep scores on your tracker!).
How To Recover From A Bad Night of Sleep—Fast
While you might be tempted to guzzle gallons of coffee to power through the day, there are a range of tactics to get back on track, caffeine not (necessarily) required. A caveat: If you think you’re suffering from a sleep disorder, like insomnia, chat with your doctor to see if you can get a diagnosis and formal treatment plan.
Stay positive.
No, seriously—reframing your mindset can be a major key to recover from a poor night of sleep, Salas and Robbins agree. Instead of thinking, “Oh, I hope my sleep isn’t horrible tonight, too,” think positively.
“Negativity can condition people to continue with bad sleep—and even propagate insomnia,” says Salas. This is because of neuroplasticity, or how you develop habits and learn and recall information, including how you adapt to a variety of external stressors or factors, per the Cleveland Clinic. So the more you tell yourself you love sleeping and that you’re going to have a great snooze, the better chance you’ll have falling asleep the night after you slept terribly, Salas explains.
Take a nap.
If you just slept badly, like you tossed and turned, aim for a 20-minute snooze, if nothing else—it’ll help repay your “sleep debt” from the night before, which can help reduce brain fog and fatigue, Robbins says. But if you pulled a true all-nighter, go for a longer nap—up to 90 minutes—to help recover, she adds. Feel free to nap at any time of day, as long as it’s not right before your bedtime. The most important thing is to refill your sleep tank, regardless of when it happens.
Get outside.
“The next best thing other than napping is to walk outside in the natural sunlight” because it gives an energy boost like caffeine (without the jitters), Robbins says. Exposure to sunlight can help increase your body’s natural serotonin—or feel-good neurotransmitter, per the Cleveland Clinic. Not only can serotonin boost your mood, but it also indicates to the body that it needs to produce melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycles and helps you feel sleepy when it gets dark out, according to the NIH.
Work out.
Get some kind of movement in, but maybe skip the hardcore sweat sesh for when you’re better rested. When you exercise, your body produces melatonin, that sleepytime hormone, and physical activity can help lower stress, which can mess with your sleep, per a 2023 review in Cureus.
The 2023 review in Cureus looked at the connection between physical activity and sleep outcomes by looking at research articles published between 2013 and 2023. It found that high-intensity exercise, especially hardcore workouts longer than 90 minutes, negatively impacted sleep quality. Meanwhile, moderate-intensity exercise, like some types of yoga and tai chi, were linked to better sleep.
Wash your bedding.
Sateen Sheet Set
Haven’t washed your bedding or cleaned your bedroom in a while? That might be impacting your sleep—various allergens can hide in your curtains, carpeting or bedding, which may lead to micro-wakings (awakenings so short you usually don’t remember them) throughout the night and cause you to feel groggy the next day, says Salas.
So, this step is important for your next night of Zs to be a restful and successful one. Aim to wash your sheets weekly, if not at least every two weeks. While you’re doing your next load, don’t forget to toss in your mattress cover too, as it can also collect allergens, she adds.
Create your cave.
For future sleep, too, ensure your environment is optimal by making your bedroom “minimal and clean” in its decorations, and cool in temperature, Salas says. Brightly colored art may serve as distractions and stimulate your mind, keeping you up at night, she says. And the optimal temperature for sleep ranges between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Sleep Foundation. If you’re keeping an eye on your electric bill, Salas suggests investing in a fan to help you stay cool throughout the night.
Okay fine…grab a coffee.
If you’re really struggling, Robbins says it’s fine to grab a coffee or other caffeinated drink. But instead of throwing it back, Robbins recommends sipping it over time. “The best way to consume caffeine is actually to have about two ounces an hour,” she says, explaining that this slow drip will help you “sustain your level of performance without crashing.”
Lastly, after a bad night of sleep, call it an early night and go to bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier than usual, Robbins says.
Why It’s Important To Recover from A Poor Night Of Sleep Quickly
Over time, poor sleep can lead to a litany of issues, including:
Impaired Cognition and Memory
When you sleep, your brain “cleans out” various toxins that naturally accrue throughout the day, removing certain memories and information that are no longer necessary in order to make room for improved focus and new memory generation, she explains.
Poor Mood
Ever woken up grumpy after a night of tossing and turning? You’re not alone. A 2022 study in the Journal of Public Health assessed anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in 143 teleworkers. Participants self-reported higher levels of depression and anxiety when they slept worse, confirming the strong relationship between sleep and mood.
While it can be frustrating to suffer a trash night of sleep, it’s typically not the end of the world. But if you find yourself waking up regularly throughout the night or feeling exhausted even after logging sufficient time asleep, be sure to check in with your doctor or other licensed medical professional to find out if something else might be contributing to your lack of quality sleep.
You Might Also Like