How to Compensate for Lack of Sleep

Sleep is more than a comfort; it's a necessary part of your body's everyday functioning. Sleep helps your brain recover from the day's events. Lack of sleep can cause you to experience decreased alertness, mood swings, memory problems and feelings of depression. While you should aim for seven to nine hours a night, this is not always possible. If you find yourself sleep-deprived, t you can temporarily improve your alertness.

Instructions

• 1

  Grab an early caffeine boost. Caffeine is a stimulant that can help you feel more alert. Good choices include coffee or diet sodas. In a pinch, a glass of cold water can help to increase your alertness as well. Try to avoid caffeine after noon though -- drinking it too late could affect your ability to fall asleep.

• 2

  Take on hard tasks first. If you've just given yourself a caffeine jolt, it's important to take on important projects like an online test or report for your boss, first thing. Because you'll inevitably crash later on in the day, you will at least have harder projects out of the way

• 3

  Take a brisk walk. Stepping outside and walking around your home or office can help to re-charge your body and help you feel more alert. Even climbing a flight of stairs up and down a few times can energize you.

• 4

  Nap for 10 to 15 minutes. While it may not be the hours of sleep you need, a small pick-me-up can help you feel more alert. Just be sure to set a loud alarm and place your alarm across the room so you know you will wake up when your 15 minutes are up.

• 5

  Step away from stress and confrontation. Stress and arguments can make you feel more tired than you already are. Before letting your worries pile up, take a few head-clearing breaths and think about what really has to get done. Prioritize these projects and save the rest for a time when you have more sleep.