Five ways to salvage your day after a TERRIBLE night’s sleep, according to experts

Whether you were at an event or couldn't calm your racing thoughts in bed, sometimes a bad night's sleep is unavoidable.

And when it happens, the next day can be a nightmare. You're foggy, irritable, and all you can think about is going to bed the next night.

But simple adjustments to your daily routine can ease the pain of exhaustion — some of which you never thought you'd do.

Here, a sleep expert reveals exactly what to do the day after your sleepless night.

YOU DON'T NEED TO TAKE A NAP – JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES

Naps are inevitable after a night without sleep. And experts say a daytime nap can help you feel more functional.

However, if you doze off for too long, you may experience sleep inertia, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines as a “temporary disorientation and decline in performance and/or mood after waking from sleep.”

Dr. Chris Winter, neurologist, sleep expert and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast, told DailyMail.com: 'When you go to sleep for extended periods of time you start to run into the problem that you may fall into a deep sleep, which, when you wake up often makes people feel dizzy.

This can lead to slower reaction time, poor short-term memory, and problems with remembering and learning.

To prevent sleep inertia, Dr. Winter suggests limiting nap time to 15 minutes. “It's okay to take a nap.” Just keep it very short.'

And don't worry if you don't actually sleep during that time. “Closing your eyes, resting, meditating can have an impact,” he said.

'I think the big mistake people make is, “I went to take a nap and after ten minutes I still hadn't fallen asleep, so I just gave up.”

'The idea that you have to be unconscious to recover is completely wrong.

“No matter what happens, as long as you decide to get some rest, you will feel better later.”

FIT IN ONE WORKOUT

It has long been known that regular exercise improves sleep by stimulating the production of the hormone melatonin.

But it can also alleviate the effects of insufficient rest.

A small study published last year in Frontiers in psychology found that students who exercised after a completely sleepless night performed better on cognitive tests than those who did not exercise.

Additionally, a 2022 study of twins in the journal Nature Communications found that exercising and eating a high-carb meal both increased alertness.

Exercise releases catecholamines: hormones released by the adrenal glands in response to stress that trigger the body's 'fight-or-flight' response.

Well-known examples are dopamine and adrenaline.

Serotonin, a mood-boosting hormone, is also released during exercise. Together, these compounds act as a natural stimulant, helping to keep the body awake and alert.

COLD SHOWER WILL WAKE YOU UP

You probably splashed cold water on your face to keep yourself awake. It turns out there are scientific benefits to it.

Just like when exercising, the cold snap stimulates the stimulating hormones dopamine and adrenaline.

When these hormones hit, they increase your heart rate, making you feel more alert, similar to drinking a cup of coffee.

“It floods your brain with those chemicals and activates your sympathetic nervous system and tends to wake people up very quickly,” said Dr. Winter.

Dr. Winter said you don't have to jump into an icy ocean to reap the benefits; splashing cold water on your face or taking a cold shower is enough.

As for additional benefits, research shows that cold water strengthens your immune system.

For example, a study in the journal PLOS One found that participants who added a good dose of cold water to their showers had 29 percent fewer sick days than those who took only hot showers.

NATURAL LIGHT CAN INCREASE ALERTNESS

As soon as you start the day, try to get outside into natural light, Dr. Winter advises.

“Light greatly promotes awakening,” he said.

This is because light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that affects our body clock and tells us it's time to sleep.

Stopping melatonin production is why it's harder to sleep when the sun shines through your window or your partner turns on the bedside lamp.

“That bright light shuts down chemicals that make you want to go to sleep,” Dr. Winter said.

To get the benefits of both exercise and light, take a walk during the day.

PACK THE PROTEIN

If you wake up groggy after a bad night's sleep, Dr. Winter to add some protein to your breakfast.

A study of the University of Cambridge in laboratory rats, it was found that high-protein foods increase the production of orexin, a cell that increases metabolism and energy.

Low levels have been linked to insomnia and conditions such as narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to stay awake for long periods of time and can lead to spontaneous falling asleep.

On the other end of the spectrum, studies have shown that sugary foods reduce orexin, making you feel more tired.

This means that starting the day with eggs or lean meat instead of a bowl of Frosted Flakes can help you stay awake after a rough night.