Function Better with quality sleep—yet here I am, writing this post in a state of exhaustion.

Even with all the right knowledge, following through can sometimes be a challenge.

You can have the most soothing, zen bedroom, and still toss and turn because of an ache or anything on your mind. You can avoid stimulants and start unwinding early in the evening, and still wake up to the sound of a blaring siren at 2:00 AM.

When you can not seem to get that pea out from beneath your mattress, sometimes the best-laid plans might go awry. It will occur occasionally, ideally less frequently than not, but at most occasionally.

When you can not call in sick and exhausted to life, how can you function? How can you get through the workday with the least amount of harm to your relationships, employment, health, and mood?

To be really honest, I have a few ideas, but first: Since I work from home and choose my own hours, I have more freedom than the typical individual. Hopefully, these suggestions offer a well-rounded combination for those with and without flexibility:

1. Protect your health.

Your immune system is weakened when you do not get enough sleep. When I am feeling especially worn out, I want to eat more things that have the opposite impact.

Antioxidant-rich dark-colored fruit, such as berries and broccoli, is an excellent option.I also enjoy Emergen-C, a powder vitamin that strengthens the immune system and increases energy that you add to water.

2. Carpool or take the bus.

It is likely that you are running late for work if you are tired. Public transportation may become inconvenient as a result, but it is preferable to sneak past your boss’s office door at 9:30 or 10:00 rather than nodding off while driving.

I have been there, so I know. I dozed off on the highway in 2000 and collided with the guardrail. Fortunately, nobody was injured, but that is not always the case. Due to sleepiness, up to 1.9 million Americans experienced a car accident or near-accident in 2009.

David Cloud, the director of the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, D.C., claims that it is feasible to unknowingly enter a three to four second microsleep, which is the amount of time required to go the entire length of a football field essentially unconscious.

3. Get into the sun.

You can raise your vitamin D levels by spending fifteen minutes in the sun. The vitamin and vitamin B are in charge of combating weariness. Deficiencies frequently cause stress, pains, moodiness, and fatigue. The advantages of regular sleep cannot be replaced by a little more sunshine, although it can make you feel more energized.

4. Eat several small meals instead of large, heavy ones.

Have you ever noticed that after eating a large, heavy dinner, you want to lie down in the fetal position and sleep for about an hour? You should feel more energized during the day and be able to control your blood sugar by spacing out your meals.

Additionally, stay away from processed, fatty, sugary, or refined white carbohydrate foods. You will initially feel stimulated and then sluggish because they are readily digested and absorbed and lack sufficient nutrients. Why add fuel to the flames when you are already exhausted?

5. Avoid caffeine.

The way your body reacts to caffeine will vary if you consume large amounts of it. Even if you may consume more than eight cups of caffeine and still feel lethargic, you may still have the headache, agitation, dehydration, and numerous other negative consequences associated with caffeine overdose.

Try an energy-boosting food instead, such as blueberries, spinach, salmon, oranges, or almonds.

6. Spend some time under bright light.

This will help you feel more alert, according to sleep specialists. Increased exposure to bright light during treatment led to greater sleep and decreased fatigue in a 2007 trial of breast cancer patients.

7. Resist the urge to channel your crankiness.

When you are tired, you may feel tempted to confront the person who injured you. It is tempting to take the uncomfortable emotion and do something with it whenever you experience it. Resist the temptation. It is likely that you will say something you regret since you are not thinking clearly enough to have a fruitful conversation.

In fact, even if it upsets some people, try your best to reschedule any important meetings you have planned. The National Sleep Foundation states that after eighteen hours of sleep, you operate similarly to someone with a blood alcohol content of.08. You would not conduct a crucial meeting while intoxicated, would you?

8. Be gentle with yourself.

It is all too simple to become agitated and cranky when you are exhausted. You may even experience a minor breakdown. (Admittedly, when I have been really tired, I have sobbed over absurd things.)

Recognize that this is typical, but prepare to fight it. Steer clear of persons or circumstances that make you angry or frustrated. When you start to feel agitated, practice deep breathing relaxation. Anything that calms your nerves.

9. Catnap if you can.

This might not be an option if you do not have a hammock or canopy bed next to your desk. (Of course, this did not stop me from napping in my car a lot when working in a corporate setting.)

But the length of your snooze is important, if you can. Sleeping for too long or too little will work against you. Given that it typically takes 10 minutes to fall asleep and another 10 minutes for light, comfortable sleep, experts recommend 20 minutes. Consider using a brainwave entrainment CD (Google it!) to assist slow your brainwaves if you have trouble falling asleep on demand.

10. Prepare to avoid making the same mistake tonight.

We are usually directly to blame when we do not get enough sleep. The constant is personal choice, regardless of whether you overcommit or stay up too late. This is not always the case, such as when you have a baby. However, it usually is.

Address the underlying cause of your issues if you realize that a lack of sleep is the culprit. Address the stressors that are preventing you from sleeping. Modify your surroundings to promote better sleep. If everything else fails, consult your physician to have any health conditions that may be interfering with your sleep examined.

Your biggest assets are your vitality, concentration, and focus. They are the greatest presents you can give your loved ones; they are what you use to change the world. Take the time you need to rest and rejuvenate so that you can protect them as best you can.

Be kind to yourself and take even better care of yourself than you usually do if you are unable to occasionally. A small act of self-compassion can significantly improve a difficult circumstance.