How To Power Through Your Day When You Didn’t Get Good Sleep — Tips From Experts

To find out, I went straight to the experts—sleep physicians and athletic pros. Below, what you need to know about having a good day after a bad night. Plus, their rapid-fire wind-down tips you don’t want to miss. 

So for your body, your mind, and your game, good sleep is important. Does this mean you can’t recover from a sleepless night? Not at all. 

In fact, there are many ways to rejuvenate your energy, both mentally and physically.

Wu explains that naps can boost energy and cognitive function, especially when you’re low on sleep. “The main thing to be aware of is that performance tends to temporarily drop for about 30 minutes after waking from a nap (this is called ‘sleep inertia1’’), so a nap is good as long as it doesn't happen too close to the start of a big event.” 

If your event is late in the evening, you’ll have to make a choice—drinking coffee an hour before may help your performance and mental clarity, but it may also dampen your sleep quality post-game. Is it worth it? You decide.  

“This is not the same as sleep, but it can often confer some of the same benefits, especially for an athlete who needs to be grounded and focused,” she says. 

But this isn’t always the case. “We are actually quite resilient, and occasional sleep deficits don't necessarily spell doom, though an attitude of hopelessness about our sleep just might.”

• Wu: “Switch gears from ‘doing’ to ‘being’... so that means putting away goal-oriented projects and tasks, closing the chapter on problem-solving for the day.”
• Harris: “For athletes, I often recommend a gentle stretching or yoga routine within an hour of bedtime.”
• Wu: “Get plenty of outdoor time the day before, if possible. More light exposure during the day (contrasted with less light exposure at night) leads to the best quality sleep.”
• Lapaix: “The day before a big event you’ll want to focus on feeling rested and fueled. It can be beneficial to do light work simulating the performance at the event [an easy workout, for example], however, you don’t want to overdo it."

Want to fine-tune your wind-down routine? Be it blackout curtains, sound machines, or sunrise alarm clocks, this sleep shopping guide has it all.