You may not need a great deal of recovery sleep to feel better. After acute sleep loss, a single night of 8 hours of sleep may be sufficient. In the setting of chronic sleep deprivation, sleep during the night may need to be lengthened, and additional naps during the day might also help. Younger people may take slightly longer to recover from prolonged sleep deprivation.
However, if you are suffering from profound sleep deprivation, you may not find many benefits from being active. Depending on the level of activity, you may develop increased fatigue (as opposed to improved sleepiness) that may counteract the benefits of being more alert.
The results of research studies are somewhat mixed in regards to how effective this might actually be. Some show that light is effective in shifting circadian rhythms, which might allow you to stay awake longer. (This is also called increased sleep latency.) In addition, some research suggests there is improved performance at night, especially with shift work, when bright light conditions are present.
Aside from normal ambient lighting such as you might get from overhead lights or natural light exposure like sunlight, it might also be beneficial to expose yourself to a light box.
When we hear something, our brain responds by making us slightly more alert. This can be problematic when we have a noisy sleep environment, but it can be helpful if we are trying to stay awake.
We generally respond best to novel stimuli. In other words, we tune out background noise when we are exposed to it for long enough. For example, the sounds of air circulating through the ducts, the soft hum of a computer fan, or any number of other noises fade into the background din after awhile. New sounds, however, draw our attention. Noise, therefore, may be somewhat helpful in alerting us. If you sing along, it may be of even greater benefit.
A Word From Verywell
Commit yourself to meeting your sleep needs. Try to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. If you find yourself feeling sleepy despite adequate hours of rest, consider evaluation by a board-certified sleep medicine healthcare provider. And always remember: Never drive drowsy. Don’t start driving if you are sleep deprived and pull over if you feel sleepy while on the road. It is simply not worth the risk.
