Society. Are you sleeping badly? Here are four tips to follow before going to bed

Sleep … it’s hard to find at the moment. “The epidemic has a very negative impact on the sleep of many people (modified rhythm, more stress …). However, it is important. Sleep is very useful in restoring immunity and mental health,” says neurologist Marc Rey.

However, good life hygiene and simple habits can make it possible to calm your sleep and recover better. So how do you make sure you sleep well?

1 / Screenshots (“the digital curfew”)

“You have to prepare for falling asleep, and this preparation requires a decompression airlock because you can not fall asleep suddenly while going from hyperactivity to nothing,” Marc Rey continues.

This “decompression airlock” includes stopping the screens at least 1 hour before the desired rest time. We know, but do you know why exactly? “The screens are bad because they are enriched with blue light for better contrast. This light – which can mean to the brain that the sky is blue – blocks the secretion of melatonin, which is a hormone secreted at night. Tell the body” it is morning “which is not good when you go to bed …”, says the neurologist.

There is also the content aspect of the screens: some people have no boundary between professional activity and privacy. Reading a work email before going to sleep can generate stress and therefore make it difficult to fall asleep. The series, which has a very short format, will also hyperstimulate you.

2 / Reduce sensory stimulation

It is important to only have one activity before bed: between reading or listening to music, you have to choose. “Only one sense must be stimulated to let others fall asleep,” the doctor continues.

3 / Do not set the heat to full!

To sleep well, the temperature in the bedroom should not be too high, between 18 and 20 degrees. “During the night, your body cools down. If you’re in an overheated atmosphere, you do not seem to get it out of the heat. That’s what happens in the summer.”

Similarly, avoid taking a shower or bath that is too hot before going to sleep: it will be difficult to bring down your body temperature.

The equation is simple: it is easier to fall asleep in winter than in summer! “In winter, it gets dark earlier, so melatonin secretion also starts earlier. It is also easier to have a cold atmosphere in the bedroom.”

4 / Eat candles

To sleep well, the evening meal must be light. “It must be richer in slow sugar to avoid the cravings that wake us up at night. In addition, sugar is easier to digest than protein. Protein digestion provides more heat and is more stimulating. Eat in the morning and at noon.”

For drinks: stop drinking coffee or tea after kl. 16 for those who have a lot of caffeine or tin receptors. Caffeine actually blocks the action of adenosine, a molecule that calms our nerve cells. The effect of coffee occurs 1 hour after ingestion.

Finally, alcohol is a fake sleeping pill. After waking you, he falls asleep, but from a bad sleep, fragmented by many awakenings.

The 50 golden rules for sleeping well.jpeg

The 50 golden rules for sleeping well, € 3.95, Larousse.