We’ve all been there… tossing and turning, staying up far too late, or been woken up by little ones, only to wake up groggy and in need of energy. One or two bad night’s sleep won’t ruin your health, but it can definitely impact your mood, focus and overall wellbeing. It can leave you feeling irritated, run down and unable to concentrate. However, with the right recovery strategies, you can still get through your day!

Here’s how to recover from a night of bad sleep in ways that support your mind, body and spirit.

Start by hydratingbad night's sleep

Bad sleep often leaves us feeling dehydrated, which can make fatigue even worse. Try and start your day with a large glass of water before your usual caffeinated drink of choice to rehydrate your body. If you do have a coffee, tea, matcha, whatever drink you prefer, try and limit it to the morning so it doesn’t interfere with your following night’s sleep.

Gentle movement

When you’re feeling tired, the last thing you want to do is exercise, but gentle movement like a short walk, stretching or yoga can boost your circulation and wake up your system without spiking stress hormones.

Natural light exposure in the morning can also help to reset your body clock. If you can, try going for a quick walk when you first get up: even if that’s just around the block or even around your garden!

Eat balanced, energy supporting meals

Reaching for the sugary snacks or greasy foods is tempting when you need a quick energy boost, but these can lead to crashes. Aim to choose a protein / healthy fats / complex carbs combo to provide you with steady energy throughout the day for sustained energy.

Take a power nap (if you can)

It’s not always possible, but if you can, a quick nap can help revitalise you. A short power nap (10-20 minutes) can help to restore some alertness without feeling groggy. However, don’t be tempted to have a longer nap – if you get into those deep sleep stages, it can actually leave you feeling more sluggish. So, make sure to set an alarm.

Prioritise recovery the next day

Don’t let one bad night mean you spiral into a cycle. Start a night-time ritual early to optimise your sleeping conditions and help you get into a good mindset to sleep the following night. Create a calming space – dim the lights, remove the screens, spray that lavender pillow mist, set yourself up for a good night’s sleep.

Bad sleep happens to all of us. Instead of just trying to push through it using pure adrenaline and mainlining coffee, these are some ways you can care for yourself and restore a little of that missing energy along the way, to help reset for the day ahead. If sleep problems are continuous however, speak to your GP to get some advice and figure out what to do next.

If time changes tend to throw off your sleep, explore our seasonal wellbeing guides — Adjusting to the Clocks Going Forward and Adjusting to the Clocks Going Back — for expert advice on supporting your sleep, skin and energy.