Slept badly the night before? A doctor-influencer suggests how to get through the day

After a night of insomnia, sleep-focused doctor-influencer Seth Capehart recommends treating the following day as damage control and protecting the next night’s sleep.

He advises spending 10 to 15 minutes outdoors in morning sunlight, which can suppress melatonin and sleep pressure and help promote alertness. He also recommends caffeine in the morning. People who take creatine, including fitness enthusiasts, may consider a single high dose of about 0.35 grams per kilogram, or roughly 20 to 30 grams, after recent research found possible short-term improvements in cognitive speed and memory during sleep deprivation. Capehart cautions that a large dose can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and should not be taken too late.

A nap of 20 to 30 minutes before 3 p.m. may restore attention and working memory, he says, but sleeping longer could lead to deeper sleep and greater grogginess after waking. He also advises stopping caffeinated drinks after 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. to avoid disrupting recovery that night.

By evening, the priority should be proper sleep: keep the room dark, maintain a regular bedtime and put away the phone early. Capehart rejects the idea that people can fully repay chronic sleep loss over the weekend, saying sleep is not a bank account and that one recovery sleep cannot completely reverse cognitive and metabolic harm.

He also advises avoiding major decisions, difficult interpersonal conversations and important emails after a sleepless night. Staying hydrated and avoiding a high-sugar, high-carbohydrate breakfast may help limit fatigue and blood-sugar swings. Capehart says most supplements marketed as one-pill cures for staying up late lack supporting evidence, apart from caffeine and creatine.