It’s 2 a.m. and you’re saddled up on the couch binge watching Hallmark movies. You’re wide awake for no reason at all; or maybe you just can’t stop thinking about your to-do list. Whatever the reason, come 7 a.m. you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck. Your mouth is dry, you’re fatigued, annoyed and wondering how in the world you’re going to get through the day ahead. But experts contend that a few easy tips can make recovering from a sleepless night much less painful.
Neurologist and sleep medicine physician Jeffrey Drumer says when we’re awake for too long, the body collects an excess of adenosine, a neurochemical found in the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and spinal cord that activates the body’s sleep systems once it reaches a certain concentration. When we fall asleep normally, the adenosine is reabsorbed into the body. But when we haven’t slept properly, it’s still hanging around making us feel drowsy the next day. Still, says Durmer, that doesn’t mean you should indulge in an hours long midday snoozer.
