How to bring yourself back to life in 3 days after a hard week

A third of us sleep less1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep recommended 7-8 hours a day. Someone suffers from insomnia, someone is unable to establish a regime, someone falls into workaholism and sacrifices sleep for work. Bad News: Sleep deprivation threatensShort- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption very unpleasant consequences, for example obesity, Alzheimer's disease, depression, decreased cognitive functions. The good news: after a total lack of sleep, you can recover. Research showsEstimating individual optimal sleep duration and potential sleep debt: Getting a good night's sleep for three or four nights in a row will make up for your sleep deficit lately.

Day 1. Saturday

Go to bed no later than 11:00 pm on Friday. Yes, the temptation to sit late into the night watching TV shows or go out somewhere with friends will be great, but you need to recuperate.

What time to get up

Around 10 am. If before that you went to bed at 23:00 or earlier, at least 11 hours of good rest will come out. And this is good. According to research

Estimating individual optimal sleep duration and potential sleep debt, it takes four times as much to make up for each hour of sleep that was not received.

How to eat

• Remember to drink water if you feel thirsty. Even mild dehydration canEffects of Changes in Water Intake on Mood of High and Low Drinkers affect mood and make you feelWater, Hydration and Health fatigue.
• Don't overdo it with alcohol. It affectsThe Effects of Alcohol on Quality of Sleep on the quality of sleep. So it is better to limit yourself to one glass of weak alcohol or not drink at all.
• Don't eat a particular diet. Nutritionist Lea Groppo of Stanford University advisesThe 3 ‑ Day Fix for Energy add more fresh vegetables to the menu.

Things to do

• Don't check work emails and instant messengers. You have a day off, so use it to reduce stress and restore resources, including emotional ones. Research showsJob stressors, emotional exhaustion, and need for recovery: A multi-source study on the benefits of psychological detachmentthat completely disconnecting from work helps to recover faster.
• Go in for sports. It could be strength training cardio, yoga or even just a walk. Physical activity will energize you and helpThe effects of physical activity on sleep: a meta-analytic review fall asleep faster. True, it is better to refrain from active exercise an hour before going to bed.
• Tidy up your bedroom. Change your bedding (this should be done every 7-10 days), vacuum over carpets and curtains. Dust can cause restless sleep, itchy nose, sore throat.

What time to go to bed

Still no later than 23:00. But this time you will sleep a little less - 9-10 hours. This is necessary in order to gradually return the body to a working rhythm.

Day 2. Sunday

What time to get up

Around 8:00. You have been sleeping an average of 10 hours for two nights now, you feel refreshed and you may think that you have already come to your senses, but do not stop there.

How to eat

• Keep eating vegetables. Choose natural foods with unprocessed ingredients: whole grain breads and pasta, brown rice, cereals, legumes, fish, meat, and unrefined oil. Avoid sweet.
• Be careful with caffeinated drinks: coffee, black and green tea, energy drinks. Better to limit yourself to 1-2 cups, and until 14:00, and then switch to herbal tea.
• Eat foods that helpFoods that beat fatigue deal with fatigue: fruits, nuts, grains, jerky, hummus.

Things to do

• Resist the temptation to take a nap. Sleeping during the day can disrupt your circadian rhythms and prevent you from getting to bed in the evening. Rachel Salas, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, advisesThe 3 ‑ Day Fix for Energy: if you still really want to take a nap, do it before 15:00 and no longer than 20-30 minutes.
• Try yoga or stretching. Gentle, leisurely exercise will helpRapid stress reduction and anxiolysis among distressed women as a consequence of a three-month intensive yoga program relax, relieve stress, relieve anxiety and prepare the body for sleep.

What time to go to bed

At 23:00. Set aside 15-60 minutes for your evening ritual: shower, stretching, grooming, reading, planning tomorrow. This will help you calm down and tune in to sleep.

Day 3. Monday

What time to get up

At 6 or 7 am - depending on how much you need to go to work. Either way, you can get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep. Just get up right away, don't set the alarm. All these "well, another 5 minutes" do not help to rest, but only subjectYour phone’s snooze button is bad for your mental health, says expert stress because the full sleep cycle takes much longer.

How to eat

• Don't skip meals. Try to keep them nourishing, varied and nutritious. Avoid junk food whenever possible.
• For lunch, choose a light meal and try not to overeat. Otherwise, by the evening you will feelEating to boost energy yourself more tired.

Things to do

• In the middle of the day, try to find time for a walk or exercise. This will helpExercise as an Intervention to Reduce Study-Related Fatigue among University Students: A Two-Arm Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial a brain tired of mental work to reboot.
• If you have to choose between sleep and going to the gym, give preference to the former. If you sleep well, tomorrow you will have more energy for sports.

What time to go to bed

At 23:00 or earlier. This is the optimal time for most people: it is for it that our circadian rhythms are sharpened. Your task is to provide yourself with a full 7-8 hours of sleep. Try not to use your gadgets an hour before you go to bed.

Remaining days of the week

Don't give up the good habits you started over the weekend:

• go to bed before midnight and sleep at least 7 hours a day;
• eat varied and nutritious, choose natural products;
• try to build physical activity into your schedule;
• do not get carried away with alcohol and sweets.

Try to organize your activities wisely throughout the day so that you no longer have to sacrifice sleep. Here are some signs that show you are getting enough sleep:

• in the morning you get up easily, and sometimes even without an alarm clock;
• you don't feel tired during the day;
• Sleep as much on weekends as on weekdays.

If you still struggle to sleep, wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning, snore, have nightmares, anxiety, or restless legs syndrome - be sure to consult a doctor.