Experts reveal morning habits you should avoid if you sleep poorly

So, you’ve woken up tired after a bad night’s sleep.

While your gut might say “coffee – now,” you might be wondering what’s really the best way to push through the day. And what do the experts recommend you do so one bad night doesn’t spiral into a week of sleep deprivation?

As tempting as it is, hitting snooze after a restless night can make things worse.

Each doze-and-wake cycle fragments your sleep even further, leaving you more sluggish as the morning drags on.

“Snoozing can actually make you feel groggier,” says sleep expert Rachel Beard, Sleep Wellness Manager at A.H. Beard.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Sleep deprivation makes dehydration more likely, which can worsen mental fog and tiredness.

To prevent this, start your day with a large glass of water. Bonus points for adding electrolytes, or try bone broth if you fancy a switch.

“Just two per cent dehydration drops your cognitive performance by 10-20 per cent, affecting attention, memory, and mental processing speed,” explains nutritionist Veronika Larisova, co-founder of Chief Bar.

Prioritize sunlight

Natural light is your body’s cue to reset. So try getting outside for 10–15 minutes as soon as you can after waking, ideally within the first hour.

This suppresses melatonin, your sleep hormone, and boosts serotonin, lifting both your mood and alertness.

“Sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm so you sleep better the following night,” adds Ms. Beard.

Now it’s time for coffee

Yes, you can have your caffeine fix, just not immediately.

Wait 90 minutes after waking so your natural cortisol levels (the wake-up hormone) can do their job first.

Drinking coffee after breakfast may also curb the jitters, and limiting caffeine after 3pm will ensure it doesn’t mess with your next bedtime.

If you’re desperate for a third cup, try stretching, a brisk walk, or a power nap first.

Boring, we know, but it works.

Move, but don’t overdo it

Gentle movement, such as a walk around the block or relaxing yoga, can counteract sleepiness by lifting your energy and mood.

Not that you’d have the energy to, but resist any urge to smash out a high-intensity workout, “which can add extra stress when you’re already low on rest,” Ms. Beard warns.

Take a cold shower

You might have heard that cold showers can help wake you up.

But if you’re hesitant to commit to a full icy wash, a few seconds under cold water at the end of your usual shower can do the trick, and jolt your brain into a state of alertness.

Be mindful of your diet

When it comes to breakfast, you’ll probably want to reach for something sweet.

However, it’s probably best to focus on steadier sources of energy.

Ms. Larisova suggests a meal with eggs or other high-protein foods instead of reaching for a sugar hit, which can lead to crashes later on.

“Protein helps dopamine production, prevents sugar crashes and cravings, and keeps you full,” she says.

For snacks, opt for meat bars or biltong rather than sugary treats, and try to avoid energy drinks if possible.

Recent studies even show that creatine in the morning can help your brain function when you’re sleep-deprived, so she recommends trying five grams of the supplement.

Nap time

A 20-minute nap before 2pm can be a game-changer.

But longer or later naps risk derailing your sleep that night, so set an alarm and keep it short, Ms. Beard advises.

Stick to your normal bedtime

Resist any urge to “catch up” on sleep by heading to bed drastically early, because this risks disrupting your body clock even more.

Instead, use your regular wind-down routine: dim lights, switch off screens, and try something calming like reading or meditation before bed, and try to stick to your normal bedtime.

If you’re not sleepy, avoid lying in bed scrolling, as blue light from your phone will make it even harder to drift off.