There are those who go to bed and fall asleep immediately and others who toss and turn dozens of times before finding sleep. If you are in the latter category, it may be because you have unknowingly developed bad habits that prevent you from falling into the arms of Morpheus…
“Tonight, I go to bed early! And here you are, at 1:30 a.m., still counting sheep… Despite your good will, you can’t get to sleep. What if it’s due to those little mistakes you make without knowing it?
1. To relax: a hot bath at the end of the evening?
Okay, with the cold snap of the past few days, it’s tempting to run a hot bath before going to bed. However, if it will increase your body temperature and warm you up immediately, it will also send a contradictory message to your brain, since this body temperature is supposed to drop during your sleep! As a result, your body will have to rebalance the balance and, of course, this takes time… So a bath at the end of the evening yes, but with warm water. Psst, you can even add 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil to help you relax and get to sleep better.
2. Anti-stress: a little sweetness before going to bed?
It’s scientifically proven: sugar disturbs sleep and even triggers frequent nighttime awakenings. And yes, the quality of your sleep also depends on what you have on your plate! So in the evening, even if you’re dying for it, leave the chocolate bar in the cupboard. Instead, eat foods rich in vitamin B, like bananas or nuts, which will help you sleep better.
3. A bout of fatigue: I don’t get out all day?
This is surely the worst mistake of confinement: not getting any exposure to daylight on a daily basis. However, it is essential to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone! Melatonin is induced throughout the day thanks to the sun and, in the evening, it is secreted to the body to help you fall asleep. So even if you have a busy day, remember to put your nose outside for at least 30 minutes a day to fill up on melatonin and vitamin D.
4. Against boredom: a little series in bed?
For this one, we plead guilty! However, we know that the blue light emitted by our phone is not the best friend of our sleep… This last one indeed blocks the production of melatonin and thus our phase of sleep. The solution? Turn off all screens at least one hour before going to bed. Now is the time to start that book you never took the time to open! And if you’re really addicted to your smartphone, get some blue light glasses, which will limit the damage a little.
5. Escape from monotony… and the daily grind
To sleep well, it is important to maintain the same biological rhythm every night. There’s no need to fight against sleep, on the contrary: the more you force yourself (because you still want to watch an episode of that great series), the more you’ll break your sleep cycles. As a result, your night will be much less regenerative… and hello bags under the eyes in the morning! So remember to go to bed at regular times every night. Your body and mind will thank you.