How to sleep better? Sleep disorders are not inevitable. It is often enough to respect a few rules to rediscover the pleasure of a good night. Activities and drinks to banish, comfort of the room… Follow our advice to find a quality sleep.
Avoid caffeine and theine
Coffee fans will be disappointed, it is better to have your last espresso after lunch . Similarly, regarding tea and cola drinks, it is best to stop them after 4 p.m. It is indeed proven that caffeine prolongs the time of falling asleep and shortens the time of sleep. Instead, drink a soothing herbal tea (linden, verbena, chamomile or orange blossom, but also passionflower, valerian, hawthorn and hops), or a glass of lukewarm milk which has a sedative effect.
No sports in the evening
Sports activity is excellent for your health, but it is better to schedule your jogging, gym class or swimming session in the morning or during lunch break rather than in the evening. Indeed, from 7 p.m., the body temperature begins to drop, a sign that the body is preparing for rest. By increasing the heart rate, sports practice maintains a higher body temperature and wakes up the body, thus disrupting the biological rhythm. If your schedule does not allow you to practice during the day, take a lukewarm shower, and wait at least 2 hours after the end of your session to go to bed.
Dine light
Difficult digestion thwarts sleep, so avoid heavy dinners before heading to bed. Avoid red meat, spicy dishes. Prefer raw vegetables, white bread, pasta, fish and vegetables, and all dairy products that contain tryptophan, an amino acid precursor of serotonin, the hormone of tranquility and sleepiness! Finally, eat dinner as soon as possible (ideally two hours before bedtime) because digestion increases body temperature.
The link between sleep problem and overweight is well established. Indeed, being overweight can induce inconveniences during sleep such as snoring or even pathologies such as sleep apnea… This is why many people who have lost weight also notice a marked improvement in their nights’ sleep. And what better than a personalized program to help you lose weight and get back to restful sleep? Thanks to the new WW PersoPointsTM Program (reinvented weightwatchers), you will be able to read advice for better sleep, record your sleep but also enjoy music and meditations available that help you fall asleep… You will be supported both for your weight loss but also in your quest for rest. To feel better in your head and in your body!
A lukewarm bath to help you fall asleep
Do you take a hot bath at night to calm down and prepare for sleep? Mistake ! When it programs itself to sleep, the body lowers its internal temperature. So you have to go in this direction, and instead treat yourself to a lukewarm bath (or shower), 37°C maximum, to calm you down.
Respect your sleep
Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? Maybe you just miss your sleep time because you want to see the end of the movie, finish your book or because you are with friends. As sleep is organized in cycles of about an hour and a half, if you miss your “train”, you will have to wait for the next one! You therefore risk tossing and turning in your bed without being able to hang up the wagons! In the same way, there’s no need to go to bed with the hens if you don’t feel tired, you won’t be able to fall asleep! When your eyes tingle, yawn and shiver… It’s time to go to bed! Then try, if possible, to go to bed and get up at approximately the same time each day. If you abuse your sleep pattern (go to bed at 11 a.m. on weekdays, 4 a.m. on Saturday, get up at 2 p.m., etc.), it will be more and more difficult for you to sleep well.
Watch out for screens
Certain activities strongly disturb sleep, if it is fragile. Avoid television, video games, smartphones. These devices emit a blue light close to daylight which will trigger the mechanisms of awakening. It is therefore better to stop them at least 1 hour before going to bed . Although there are now many “anti-blue light” smartphone applications, it is better to ban screens in the bedroom.
We forget the worries
Taxes, accounting, copies to be corrected, we forget! At least 1 hour before going to bed, put yourself in a good position to sleep: practice an activity that you like (meditation, knitting, painting, reading, etc.) and put aside your “to do list”. To banish also, marital disputes ! Nothing like getting upset, then dwelling on the pillow and sleeping badly!
The bedroom, a place to sleep… and make love
It is essential to respect the role of your bedroom, it is a place to sleep, not a multi-activity room! On the other hand, we do not say no to hugs and sexual relations, which increase the level of oxytocin. This love hormone helps reduce stress by lowering the level of cortisol, the stress hormone.
A room at the right temperature
In your room, ideally lower the temperature to 19°C . And sleep with warm feet! Scientists have just demonstrated that warming the extremities promotes vasodilation of small vessels and therefore blood circulation. This contributes to falling asleep. Dare to rehabilitate the socks in bed!
Darkness and silence
To sleep better, it is better to plunge your bedroom into complete darkness: close the shutters, invest in blackout curtains or put on a sleep mask. Silence is also essential to ensure restful sleep. If your neighbors are noisy or your spouse snores, invest in earplugs.
Consult a doctor online for your sleep disorders
A good mattress for a top sleep
It’s hard to live dreamy nights when you sleep on a deformed mattress or when the slightest movement of your roommate makes you jump. A mattress changes every 10 years , how old is yours?
The sleep of pregnant women In the 3rd trimester sleep is often disturbed. The little ailments of pregnancy can bother you, back pain, acid reflux, baby movements, etc. Don’t hesitate to talk about it with your midwife, who will give you some postural advice for better sleep while you are pregnant, including investing in a nursing pillow. You can also practice sophrology or yoga.