How to sleep better? Good habits for restful sleep

Why restful sleep matters so much

During the night our body and brain do not switch off: they recover, sort through the day's information and get ready for tomorrow. Good sleep affects energy, mood, concentration and memory.

Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, but needs vary from person to person. The best guide is how you feel during the day:

• you usually wake up feeling rested;
• you do not need several coffees to keep going;
• you do not nod off in front of the TV early in the evening.

If that is not the case, your nights probably deserve a little attention. The good news: small changes, kept up for a few weeks, are often enough to improve things.

Regular hours and morning daylight

Our sleep is set by a body clock that loves regularity. This is the first lever, and the most effective:

• Get up at a fixed time, weekends included, give or take an hour.
• Go to bed when sleepiness arrives: yawning, heavy eyelids, stinging eyes. Do not fight these signals.
• Get daylight first thing in the morning: open the shutters, have breakfast near a window, go for a short walk. Light helps your body clock stay on track.
• Move during the day: regular physical activity makes it easier to fall asleep. Just avoid intense exercise late in the evening, after 8 pm.

What about naps?

If you feel the need, a short nap of around twenty minutes at most, early in the afternoon, can help. Avoid long or late naps, which delay falling asleep at night.

How to sleep better: getting your bedroom ready

Your bedroom should make you want to sleep. A few simple adjustments:

• Temperature: a cool room, around 18 to 20 °C, supports sleep. Add a layer of bedding rather than turning up the heat.
• Darkness: blackout curtains or a sleep mask. Even a small standby light can disturb you.
• Quiet: earplugs if your surroundings are noisy.
• Bedding: a mattress neither too soft nor too hard, a suitable pillow, pleasant sheets.
• Fresh air: air the bedroom for ten minutes every day.
• Your alarm clock: keep it out of sight. Checking the time at night feeds worry.

As far as possible, keep your bed for sleep: no TV, no computer, no work. That way your brain links your bed with rest.

In the evening: screens, coffee, dinner

What you do in the hours before bed matters a lot.

• Screens: put your phone, tablet and computer down an hour to an hour and a half before sleep. Their light and stimulating content delay falling asleep.
• Caffeine: no coffee, tea, caffeinated soft drinks or energy drinks after 4 pm.
• Alcohol: it may seem to help you drop off, but it disrupts the second half of the night and causes awakenings.
• Tobacco: nicotine is a stimulant, so avoid it in the evening.
• Dinner: light, not too fatty, and ideally two to three hours before bed. A very heavy dinner and an empty stomach can both disturb sleep.
• Drinks: drink mostly during the day and early evening, to avoid getting up at night.

My evening ritual to switch off

The brain needs a transition between the bustle of the day and sleep. A little ritual, repeated every evening, helps it understand that it is time to slow down. Here is mine, to adapt to your taste:

1. A caffeine-free hot drink early in the evening. I like Aloe Blossom Herbal Tea, with orange, lemon, cinnamon and ginger.
2. A warm shower, followed by a slow massage of legs and arms with a body lotion. A few minutes just for yourself.
3. Simple facial care: a gentle cleanse, then a night mask. For me, this step marks the end of the day.
4. Dimmed lights around the house.
5. A calm activity: reading a few pages of a paper book, listening to soft music, a few minutes of slow breathing.
6. A list for tomorrow: I write down whatever is on my mind, so I stop thinking about it once I am in bed.

Let us be clear: none of these products makes you sleep. What counts is the regularity of the ritual, which sends your body the same signal every evening.

Waking at night and insomnia: what to do, when to see a doctor?

If you cannot get to sleep

If you have been awake for a while and sleep will not come back, do not stay tossing and turning. Get up, go to another room with soft lighting, do something calm (reading, listening to music), then go back to bed when you feel sleepy again. Avoid checking the time and your phone.

When should you see a doctor?

Talk to your doctor if:

• you sleep badly at least three nights a week for several weeks;
• you feel drowsy during the day, especially when driving;
• people around you notice loud snoring or pauses in your breathing;
• you feel unpleasant sensations in your legs in the evening that make you need to move;
• sleep problems come with low mood, anxiety or loss of interest.

Do not take sleeping pills or so-called sleep supplements on your own initiative: a health professional will help you find the cause and the right response. And I will say it again: food supplements should not replace a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

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