I survived a busy day after just 3 hours of sleep — here's the 5 expert tips that saved me

While it's important to get as much sleep as you can, my timetable isn't always conducive to getting a good night's sleep.

For instance, I recently had to catch an early morning flight, and this meant I had to set my alarm for 1 am.

How many hours did I get as a result of waking up at this unreasonable time? Three. And that's not even half of the recommended sleep time for an adult woman like me.

Luckily, I already anticipated this, so I decided to get some preemptive advice from sleep psychologist Dr. Nicola Cann on how to survive the day while sleep deprived.

While Dr. Cann warned me of the dangers of sleep loss, she also shared the five things you should do when you can't avoid it — here's what happened when I tried them.

What happens when we're sleep deprived?

Sleep deprivation can occur for a number of reasons: sleep disorders, shift work, a late-night event, or (as in my case) traveling.

The health risks of sleep deprivation are well documented. From headaches to high blood pressure, the whole body is affected by sleep loss.

That's why Dr. Cann only recommends surviving on a low amount of sleep on the rare occasion when you simply can't avoid it.

"Our cognitive functioning really declines when we're sleep deprived, so everything feels harder," the psychologist warns.

"It's easy enough to recover from the occasional night of poor sleep but regularly trying to catch up on missed sleep is no good for your physical or mental health."

However, if you have an upcoming event, flight, or an other sleep-disrupting arrangement, take a look at the tips below.

5 tips to make it through the day when sleep deprived

1. Keep a water bottle and healthy snacks close by

I must admit that this first tip was hard, especially when there were so many pastries and candy bars on display at the airport's coffee shop and snack bar. However, there was a reason for this...

"We struggle with decision making when we're tired, and are more likely to give into temptations like eating sugary snacks," Dr. Cann told me.

"This might feel like a good idea at the time, but sugar and booze are bad for our sleep, so if you give into temptation, you risk sleeping badly the following night."

Instead, the sleep expert suggested I stick to water and healthy snacks. So, I kept a water bottle fused to my hand the entire day and snacked on dried fruit and yogurt.

The result? The hydration kept me feeling refreshed, while the snacks kept me full without feeling sluggish.

2. Save caffeine for the morning

This may seem like an obvious one, but there is a risk of overdoing it and drinking too much caffeine throughout the day to keep you awake.

"It can be tempting to reach for the coffee when we're feeling tired, and in fact this can be helpful when used cleverly," Dr. Cann explains.

"Caffeine temporarily boosts alertness, so if you're struggling to stay awake, and it's not too close to bedtime, a cappuccino is your friend."

She recommended I drink coffee no later than the afternoon, and no more than usual.

So, I grabbed a latte at around 7am, and that was enough to give me a boost.

3. Step outside as soon as the sun is up

"Daylight helps us feel more alert and keeps our circadian rhythm on track," Dr. Cann told me. "Spend time outdoors, especially in the morning, to maximise those daylight hours and help you stay awake until bedtime."

Following her advice, I had lunch outside as soon as I got settled at my hotel, and the bright sunshine really energized me and improved my mood.

4. Get moving

Yes, I know that when we're tired all we can think about is crawling back into bed, but all you need is a little stroll to keep you feeling awake.

"Exercise can also boost alertness and help us make it through the day," Dr Cann explained.

"No need to do a serious workout — especially when you're fatigued — but gentle exercise like walking and stretching increases alertness temporarily so that you can continue to enjoy your day."

So, after lunch, I went for a leisurely stroll in the vicinity of hotel, and it made me feel prepared for the evening ahead.

5. Don't nap or go to bed too early

And finally, don't go to bed too early or give in to the temptation to nap.

You may feel that you need to make up for your lack of sleep by hitting the hay while the sun's still up, but this is actually a bad idea.

"When you're very sleep deprived it can be tempting to try and catch up on sleep," Dr. Cann says.

"But if you sleep at the wrong time you can disrupt your sleep drive, which usually builds throughout the day leaving us sleepy at night. Instead, try to stick roughly to your usual sleep times — your body will naturally get back into its usual rhythm more quickly this way."

So, I spent the evening at a restaurant not too far from the hotel, and by the time I got back to the room, it was my usual bedtime.

When I woke up the next morning, I was surprised to find that I had gotten more than eight hours sleep.