Surviving Substandard Sleep

How to cope after a bad night’s slumber

- Gagan Dhillon

After hours of tossing and turning, surviving the day ahead feels like a tall order. “Sleep is essential for immunity, mental clarity and body functions,” says Dr M. S. Kanwar, sleep medicine specialist, Advanced Sleep Disorder Institute, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.

When sleep deprived, your first instinct might be to reach for a vat of coffee. This may pick you up temporarily, but caffeine could negatively affect your sleep quality up to 16 hours later. Feel free to grab a cup, but be reasonable in your consumption to avoid a second rough night.

“The best thing you can do is just hit the ground running,” says Neil Stanley of the European Sleep Research Society. “You’re going to feel some sleep inertia [otherwise known as grogginess and disorientation] for a while, but don’t let that frame your day. Open the blinds and get some daylight so your body knows it’s time to be awake, or step out for some fresh air.”