The problem is that even though we KNOW we need more rest, getting some sleep isn’t always easy.
Instead, we just sit there, unable to turn off our brains, and watch old episodes of Veep on our phones until 3 a.m., a real lack of sleep. This is the most cruel trick our body can play on us: we know it needs sleep, but it keeps this regenerative rest out of our reach.
#Sleep | Let’s take advantage of this International Sleep Day to discover tips for better sleep
According to a study by @Pharma_ANEPF close to #students in #pharmacy :
????54% have disturbed sleep since the start of the crisis
????25% need help sleeping pic.twitter.com/PGWSMd8Fpc— Marion Bouillot-Aubin (@marionbouillot) March 19, 2021
Fortunately, you can do something about it. You can actually TEACH yourself to sleep better, without using pills.
And the best place to start is Katrin Schubert MD’s fascinating new book (which I can’t recommend highly enough) called Improve Sleep: 20 Quick Techniques.
In this book, Schubert confirms our need for sleep — it’s truly the healthiest thing you can do for your body — and walks us through various tips, techniques, and strategies that make falling asleep a lot easier.
I don’t mean to be hyperbolic, but I’ve been trying the techniques in the book for about a month now and I’ve never slept so well in my life.
Laugh to sleep well!
62% of French people report suffering from sleep disorders.
Japanese researchers have found that laughing at night helps produce more melatonin, the hormone for rapid and deep sleep.
Call for jokes, tips and others to laugh ???? pic.twitter.com/GqUgOJ7mOz— Emie reads & shouts (@emiliepartout) December 13, 2018
I really fall asleep when I sit down lit now, instead of browsing YouTube and worrying about work all night.
(Schubert also has books on how to relieve the stress and reduce cravings, which are equally pragmatic and achievable).
Improve Sleep has a ton of fantastic advice, but, to give you an idea of what you can do to feel much more rested while waiting, here are SIX of the best tips from Schubert to get a really, really amazing night’s sleep. (The full book has MANY more).
How to sleep better and regain your #sleep ? Tips and training: https://t.co/lCrMFpCrK9 #watchbiologique #good sleep #insomnia #fall asleep #problemsdesommel #sleepautop pic.twitter.com/DvOtQXATf6
— Valerie Pivetta (@Valp32) June 6, 2020
If you want to cure insomnia and restlessness every night at bedtime to sleephere’s what you need to do to get started fall asleep faster.
1. Get at least twenty minutes of natural sunlight each day.
Exposure to light during the day helps your body follow a cycle normal of sleep and wakefulness.
Natural sunlight regulates your body’s production and release of melatonin, the hormone that is excreted at night to induce the natural sleep cycle.
2. Reduce the amount of fluids you drink at night.
Drink water throughout the daytime is important for the health of your body. Consuming fluids later in the evening can disrupt your sleep.
You’ll feel more rested in the morning if you don’t have to get up at night to answer nature’s call.
Today we celebrate World Sleep Day! Here are our tips for precisely sleeping betterhttps://t.co/nueuzWtqVL
© Mikael Jansson pic.twitter.com/z4hKY5ecoO— Vogue France (@VogueFrance) March 13, 2020
Everyone hears that you need to drink more water throughout the day – and you should. But pay attention to when you drink this water.
If you drink fluids late in the day and can’t sleep at night because you get up regularly to empty your bladder, you may have found an easy way to improve quality of your sleep.
3. Reduce your exposure to any white or blue colored light source at least two hours before bedtime.
This means that for a better night’s sleep, when bedtime approaches, you have to replace the time you spend in front of a screen by something like a good old book.
Want to sleep better? Put on socks! the @dr_moji gives you three tips to manage your sleep well ???????? pic.twitter.com/WqdHpDBMIs
— Europe 1 ???????????? (@Europe1) September 16, 2020
The screens of televisions, laptops and smartphones emit the kind of light that keeps you awake. Instead of staring at a screen, try relaxing with relaxation or breathing exercises, soft, relaxing music, or simply spending time with your relatives.
The bright white and blue lights keep us on our toes! So avoid them near bedtime.
4. Take magnesium!
Hard to find the #sleep ? These tips should help you quickly fall into the arms of Morpheus ????https://t.co/B2TwgGFRDL
– Gentside (@Gentside) January 21, 2021
Magnesium can help you sleep in many ways. It helps to relax your muscles and your brain.
While adding a magnesium supplement to your routine can be very helpful, so can the conscious addition of foods. riches magnesium to your diet.
Almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, vegetables leafy greens, avocados and bananas all contain high levels of this vital mineral.
Another great way to expose your body to magnesium at the end of the day and prepare you for rest is to add Epsom salts to your bath.
#Sleep | Let’s take advantage of this International Sleep Day to discover tips for better sleep
According to a study by @Pharma_ANEPF close to #students in #pharmacy :
????54% have disturbed sleep since the start of the crisis
????25% need help sleeping pic.twitter.com/PGWSMd8Fpc— Marion Bouillot-Aubin (@marionbouillot) March 19, 2021
5. Maintain low cortisol levels.
Your body makes a stress hormone called cortisol. High stress levels raise our cortisol levels.
High levels of cortisol in our body keep us awake because the release of cortisol is our body’s way of enabling alertness.
As night approaches, manage your cortisol levels by reducing your overall stress levels.
That might mean not listening to the news, not watching thrillers, or not addressing disagreements at the end of the day. You can’t let yourself go to the land of the dreams if your body is full of cortisol.
6. Take a nap.
Fatigue will prevent you from sleeping well at night.
A short rest or a siesta will rejuvenate you and give you enough energy to finish your day.
Researchers and nap-lovers alike recommend napping no longer than twenty minutes, or you may end up feeling groggy afterwards.
This is just a taste of the great advice you can get on Improving Sleep: 20 Quick Techniques. If you want to know more about how you can completely revolutionize the way you sleep, you should check it out.