Get Back on Track After a Poor Night's Sleep
By Sara Butler
Everyone has done it: Tossed and turned all night long only to fall asleep about two minutes before your alarm goes off. Nothing is quite as torturous as a bad night's sleep and it can really set your day up for disaster. But it doesn't have to.
The good news is that you can turn things around. There are some effective strategies you can employ to recover for a poor night of sleep. The next time this happens to you, here are a few ideas to try.
Take a Cold Shower
It may sound as if it's the worst idea in the world, but it'll actually help. When you take a cold shower it forces you to breathe deeper and that increases your intake of oxygen and helps your body and brain to wake up. Research has also found that exposure to cold can help to reduce your uric acid levels, which can help you to deal more effectively with stress as the day goes on.
Have a Good Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it becomes even more important if you're trying to get back on track after a bad night. That's why you should start your day out with a nutritious start where unprocessed and nutrient-dense foods are the stars of your breakfast. You could have a bowl of quinoa with avocado and sweet potatoes or a steaming bowl of oatmeal with walnuts.
Try to Keep Your Coffee Intake Minimal
For many people who have had a terrible night's sleep, coffee can be a savior. But you should resist the urge to have a lot of coffee to help you get through your mid-morning slump. And your afternoon slump. And maybe even your evening slump.
On average, coffee takes about six hours to work its way out of your system. If you have it too close to bedtime, then it can be responsible for sabotaging yet another night of sleep.
Get Some Sun
Sunlight can help to boost your mood and trigger the release of feel-good chemicals in your body called endorphins. If you can get outside for a 20-minute walk at the start of your day, then the exercise will jazz you up right along with that dose of sweet sunshine.
It's not always possible to have a good night's sleep, but it is possible to make your day better after it happens!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Dallas, Tex.