Stayed up all night? Here’s how to feel better
By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
(CNN) — It was a dream come true for millions of Taylor Swift fans, after the superstar released her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” at midnight on Friday. For Swifties who stayed up to listen and savor every last tune, perhaps over and over, the shock of that morning alarm was probably “like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street.”
Losing sleep can wreak havoc on your mind and body, experts say. In fact, missing out on just one night’s sleep can trigger physical symptoms, such as upper respiratory issues, aches and gastrointestinal problems, studies have shown.
A lack of sleep also slows reaction times — so be careful while driving — and worsens logical reasoning and the ability to perform tasks such as reading complex sentences and doing simple math.
However, there are actions you can take after lost sleep to make it through the day in the safest way possible, according to experts.
Get some sunshine after the midnight rain
Follow Swift’s lead by flooding your eyes with light as soon as that pesky alarm goes off. Use natural sunlight to see “daylight,” or turn on artificial lights, especially those in the blue spectrum, which tell the body to wake up.
“The strongest reset for the circadian system is bright light,” said Dr. Phyllis Zee, director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
“Light in the morning changes the oscillation of your circadian clock genes at both a cellular and molecular level,” she told CNN in a prior interview. “You are also training all your rhythms, whether it’s sleep, blood pressure, heart rate or your cortisol rhythm to be earlier.”
Shake it off (literally)
Shake off the grogginess the next morning with a mini dance party to Swift’s catchy tunes, suggests Mina Dasgupta, the 11-year-old daughter of sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a pulmonary and sleep medicine specialist at Huntington Heath in Pasadena, California.
“Research shows that movement can boost circulation and increase alertness, helping you shake off that sleepiness faster,” Daddy Dasgupta said.
“So, blast your new favorite (Taylor) song and move your body to get the blood flowing and dance away those drowsy vibes,” Mina added.
You can also follow the pop star’s lead and “strike a pose,” Dasgupta said. “Yoga, that is.”
“Try to carve out some time to engage in light yoga or stretching exercises to get your blood flowing and invigorate your body,” he said. “Yoga and other low-impact exercises have been shown to reduce stress, perfect for shaking off the sleepiness.”
You may need to calm down
Symptoms of daytime fatigue include a lack of motivation to accomplish everyday tasks, a lack of productivity at work, memory problems and a low interest in being social, experts say.
There is another side effect as well: You may find yourself going ballistic over the slightest slight, perhaps even feeling like a “nightmare dressed like a daydream.”
“Sleep loss is strongly associated with reduced empathy and emotional regulation, often resulting in miscommunication and retaliation during conflict,” Dasgupta said.
Without enough sleep, your brain functions less efficiently, affecting your coping skills, according to stress management expert Dr. Cynthia Ackrill, former editor for Contentment Magazine, produced by the American Institute of Stress.
“We don’t have the bandwidth to recognize our choices, get creative or just see that we can choose not to be irritated or irritating,” she told CNN previously. “Irritability is one of the key signs of stress and poor sleep.”
Don’t do ‘coffee at midnight’
Swift may sing about having coffee at midnight while in love, but it’s not a good idea to overcaffeinate throughout the day as you struggle to shrug off sleepiness.
“It could limit your ability to sleep well that night,” said sleep specialist Kristen Knutson, an associate professor of neurology and preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
Instead, consider a 20-minute power nap in the early to midafternoon to recharge your brain, Dasgupta suggested.
“Research shows that short naps can improve alertness, mood, and cognitive performance, helping you recover from sleep deprivation quickly and get that much-needed boost of energy to get you through the day,” he said. “Just make sure to keep it short and sweet — don’t oversleep and end up in a deeper stage of your sleep cycle, he added.
Then try to go prioritize sleep that night, Knutson suggested in an email.
“Plan to go to bed on time, if not a little earlier,” she said. “In the hour or so before bed, engage in relaxing activities to prepare yourself for sleep. And of course, listening to Taylor Swift counts as long as you turn it off before bed!”
The-CNN-Wire
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