You only need to have one bad night to realize how important it is to sleep well! However, more and more people are unable to fall asleep at night, sleep poorly or wake up multiple times. The consequences are quickly felt at work and in private life: fatigue, irritability, clumsiness, loss of concentration or even health problems, become chronic and painful. However, there are tips to help you fall into the arms of Morpheus, enjoy it and wake up in great shape:
1. Program your biological clock
The first advice we can give you for establish a good sleep rhythm is of force yourself to always go to bed and get up at around the same time. Once the body settles into a routine, it becomes much easier to fall asleep and wake up comfortably. fit without feeling the slightest fatigue. If you need to take naps during the day, they should not exceed 15 to 20 minutes. Finally, it may be interesting to keep a “sleep diary” to become aware of any bad habits and thus be able to remedy them.
2. Exercise well by playing sports
To sleep well at night, you still need to be tired and exercise well during the day. Exercising physical activity is very beneficial for sleep. Play sports allows you to take care of your body but also to release endorphin, a hormone responsible for happiness and relaxation in humans. Which is all the more beneficial when you hold a stressful or responsible position. Indulging in running, swimming or boxing, for example, clears your head and prepares your body for a good, invigorating night’s sleep. However, you must allow between 3 and 4 hours of rest after your sports session and before going to bed. This is to avoid too much stimulation and excitement which would interfere with falling asleep.
3. Choose the right position
As a general rule, it is advisable to sleep on your back, unless you have breathing problems, snoring or when you are pregnant. Lying on your stomach can cause back and neck pain, while sleeping on your side or in the fetal position leads to poor digestion, in addition to accentuating facial wrinkles. It can be difficult to change your habits but finding the right position and sticking to it positive effects not only on sleep but also on long-term health.
4. Monitor your exposure to light
Daylight has a very profound impact on our biological clock and our body. To sleep well at night, it is essential to be sufficiently exposed to the sun during the day, by going outside as much as possible or, during the winter season, by using a light therapy device. In the evening, on the contrary, it is important to ensure darknessthe most complete in your room and avoid the blue light emitted by screens (television, telephone, etc.).
5. Pay attention to your diet
Eat light before bed is not only interesting from a dietary point of view, it is also positive for sleep, sparing you from having a stomach congested by a long and complicated digestion. Likewise, it is better avoid the consumption of alcohol, caffeine, theine or even tobacco before going to sleep because they are stimulants, which can only be harmful to the relaxation of the body and mind.
6. Create a favorable environment in your bedroom
To sleep well, it is essential to create an environment in your bedroom that is conducive to relaxation. Soft colors, regularly renewed air, a temperature neither too high nor too low but also suitable bedding are some of the details to take care of. Pets should not have their place in the bed, at the risk of bringing parasitic elements, which can be avoided with a anti-mite cover. Likewise, you must keep in mind that a bedroom is made for sleeping and having intimate relationships, not for eating, working, making telephone calls or anything else.
7. Learn to relax and unwind
It’s impossible to sleep when you’re too stressed. Must therefore learn to let go and relax, whether through breathing exercises or using a falling asleep ritual repeated every evening (taking a hot bath, listening to music, drinking herbal tea, etc.). Relaxation should be seen as an end in itself, and not as a means to falling asleep. Once completely relaxed your eyes will close on their own and you slept like a baby.
8. Use essential oils
Aromatherapy, an increasingly popular alternative medicine, can help you fall into the arms of Morpheus without the serious side effects that often come with taking medications. Basil, chamomile, lavender, clary sage and marjoram are some of the essential oils most used for their soothing properties. Be careful, however, to follow the instructions for use for each one.
9. Know how to go back to sleep
If it is important to know how to let go to fall asleep, you also need to know how to react if you wake up at night. Rather than getting upset and tossing and turning in bed trying to sleep, don’t hesitate to turn on the light and engage in a pleasant, calm activity, like reading, before trying to go back to sleep again. Keep in mind that the most important thing is to relax and unwind when you want to sleep well or go back to sleep.
10. Consult your doctor
If nothing helps and insomnia is eating away at you, you should definitely not ignore the problem. Going to see your doctor is the best thing to do in this case. The practitioner is able to diagnose any problem that is disrupting your sleep, such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. This will also lead him to prescribe a suitable treatment for you. He may possibly advise you to see a psychologist, if the concerns encountered are more of an emotional nature.
I hope these tips will work and help you sleep well. All that remains is for me to wish you a good night!