Sleep better: 5 principles to know

🥱 Understanding sleep principles to sleep better?

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Understanding sleep: insomnia

Insomnia means sleep deprivation. Sleep is not an interruption of activity, on the contrary! While we sleep, our body, nervous system and organs regenerate.

Everyone can be affected by sleep disorders or occasional insomnia, often caused by identifiable events such as moving or changing jobs.

Sometimes we talk about insomnia when we have difficulty falling asleep, or if we have slept badly, but without repercussions on our daytime activities. We will talk about insomnia when there is an impact on health and daily activities.

Symptoms of insomnia

• You feel like you haven’t slept well: difficulty falling asleep, recurrent nocturnal awakenings, early awakenings. 😴
• Feeling unwell the following day: drowsiness, lack of concentration, memory problems.
• Feeling drowsy: irritability 🤬, physical discomfort, intellectual tiredness, asthenia.

Sleep is a pillar of our health, vital for the nervous recovery of all living beings. It is essential for children, for their development and growth.

During sleep we go through different phases, including dreams and nightmares helps relieve stress and the tensions accumulated during the day. See the article The impact of stress on the body by clicking here

Why don’t we all need the same amount of sleep?

Each person has their own sleep rhythm. The important thing is to wake up feeling fit and rested. On average, you should expect 8 hours of sleep per night, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Lifestyle and age also influence sleep needs.

• Heavy sleepers : More than 9 hours of sleep
• Little sleepers : About 6 hours per night, or even 4 hours!
• Average sleepers : About 7-8 hours of sleep per night

Depending on age, sleep needs vary : a child sleeps around 16 hours at birth, while a teenager has a different biological rhythm (getting up and going to bed late). For adults, the pace of professional and family life influences the time and quality of sleep. The biological clock goes wrong. In older adults it is normal to sleep less, often going to bed and waking up earlier and having a lighter sleep.

Preparing for sleep: advice

Not everyone is the same when it comes to sleep, but you can improve your sleep with a few simple practices:

1. Be ready to sleep as soon as you wake up
2. Sunbathe in the morning
3. Do physical activity before 5pm
4. Integrate a sleep ritual
5. Review your diet (if necessary)
6. Turn off blue lights 20 minutes before bed
7. Don’t fall asleep in front of the television (sleep in bed)
8. Prepare your things the day before
9. Turn off your cell phone
10. Sleep in a room at 18°C
11. Know the cycles and doors of sleep (see free grid)
12. Relaxation (breathing, sophrology, reflexology, walking, etc.)

Sleep cycles

To improve falling asleep, here are the principles of sleep cycles. Each cycle lasts about 1.5 hours and we average 6 per night.

Each cycle is made up of 4 phases, grouped into 2 parts:

• Phase 1 : Slow wave sleep (drowsiness)
• Phase 2 : Light sleep (Dreams, waking thoughts)
• Phase 3 : Deep sleep (physical recovery)
• Phase 4 : REM sleep (mental recovery)

« Waking up at night is normal, because the body has to turn over to ensure good blood circulation (micro-awakening). The body also works in 1.5-hour cycles throughout the day.«

• Active phase : between 5:00 and 6:00
• Fatigue phase : Between 11:00 and 14:00 (the famous pump!)
• Supervision phase : Between 5pm and 8pm
• Fatigue phase : Between 11pm and 2am (everyone should sleep at this time, hence the strain of night work)
• Active phase : Between 2:00 and 5:00

🌱Essential oil against insomnia

Real lavender essential oil is safe and promotes sleep. Use it by smell, diffusion or apply a few drops on a handkerchief under the pillow.

✅ Hydrolate to improve sleep

Orange flowers, often found in the home, are excellent for sleeping peacefully. Take one teaspoon in half a glass of water 20 minutes before going to sleep.

🏵 Comforting honey before bed

Lavender honey, ideal for promoting sleep, can be added to your herbal tea (one teaspoon) and enjoyed by 8pm.

Avoid these 3 mistakes to wake up in good shape:

1. Don’t resist sleep
2. Avoid exciting drinks before going to bed (coffee, cola, etc.)
3. Don’t eat too large meals, rich in sugar and fat.

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Let us accompany you to improve the quality of your nights in sophrology or reflexology in Castelginest (31) in the Toulouse region or by teleconference:

Make an appointment, 30 minute discovery call, free 🎁 with Véronique Chiarella, Reflexologist – Sophrologist | Holistic naturopathy consultant.