should be the maximum length of time for a nap however, any longer than that, and you could dip into deeper stages of sleep, which can use up some of what we call your sleep drive, which is the natural drive you feel to sleep at night,” says Dr. “Up to half an hour between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m. If you feel super sleepy the day after an all-nighter (which won't always be the case, by the way), you might consider taking a power nap to help reset your body and restore some alertness. (Again, this is a different situation from chronic or comorbid insomnia, both of which should be treated with support from a medical professional.) 2. Instead, make the active mental decision to be okay with a fitful or sleep-free night every now and then, and view each night as another positive opportunity to get the sleep you need. Tal, making it tougher to realign your internal clock toward a healthy sleep schedule. So, if the anxious cloud hovering over your sleep causes you to delay your bedtime the next night and for a few consecutive nights after that, too, then you start to shift into the territory of circadian-rhythm issues, adds Dr. “The lack of control over sleep causes you to worry, and the more you worry about sleep, the more likely it is to evade you the next night, too,” says Dr. On the flip side, someone who tried to sleep but tossed and turned all night instead tends to have a different recovery timeline and experience. “The lack of control over sleep causes you to worry, and the more you worry about sleep, the more likely it is to evade you the next night, too.” -Joshua Tal, PhD

Typically, when a person feels in control of their sleep and can be at peace with the decision that they made to stay awake all night, they may feel tired the next day, but will also be more apt to fall asleep easily at their usual time that night, and effectively recover from the sleep loss within one to two days of reverting to that normal schedule, says Dr. As for precisely how long it takes to recover from sleep deprivation, the answer depends on what led to your sleepless night in the first place, and also your mental approach to the situation.

But according to sleep psychologist Joshua Tal, PhD, the sleepiness from a singular all-nighter doesn’t actually have to extend much beyond a couple days. In any case, the snag in your sleep schedule can make the next day a groggy struggle. Perhaps you burned the midnight oil catching up on extra work, or you lost track of time on the dance floor, or maybe you woke up mid-slumber and just couldn’t fall back asleep. With Recovery Nation, get expert-backed and research-led intel to be the strongest you-inside and out.ĭespite our best intentions, it’s tough to escape the occasional sleepless night. By giving your body and mind the rest and TLC it needs, you can rebuild your strength, refuel your energy levels, and restore core body functions like those carried out by your immune and cardiovascular systems. A robust recovery routine is a key ingredient in the recipe for feeling your best.

Many sleepless nights