Sleeping peacefully, what happiness!
Write the 07/12/2021 by Santarome Bio
Harmed by our pace of life, sleep is on the way to becoming a major societal problem of the 21st century. In 50 years, the French have lost 1.5 hours of sleep: a figure which explains why a quarter of us have a permanent sleep debt (1) . So who is to blame ?
We cannot point the finger at a single cause. The decline in the quantity - and quality - of sleep most often results from a combination of factors that become part of our daily lives over the long term.
Faced with these sleep-related challenges, using a food supplement to sleep better may be an option to consider. How can these products help improve the quality of sleep and remedy this progressive deterioration of nighttime rest?
Eating, moving is good…
...but let's not forget to sleep!
We are carried away in a whirlwind of activities : professional life, leisure activities, outings, shopping... Responding “present” at every moment forces us to eat away at our rest time, when the irrepressible attraction of screens does not push us to stay up. late ! These devices produce blue light, exposure to which disrupts the secretion of melatonin: the hormone that makes you fall asleep and regulates sleep.
We easily sacrifice a few minutes of sleep here and there in order, we believe, to catch up during the weekend... Unfortunately, two days are not always enough to compensate for the sleep debt accumulated during the week... But let's not be not fatalistic, we can take control of our sleep!
Did you know ? Sleep cannot be improvised!
We sleep on average 7 hours per night (8 hours on weekends): a duration that varies depending on each person's nature.
But whether you are a short or a long sleeper, sleep always works the same way:
1. Light slow sleep: we yawn, we become numb. Breathing and heart rate relax. It’s falling asleep.
2. Deep slow-wave sleep: the brain no longer perceives anything, the body recovers from physical fatigue, the immune defenses regenerate.
3. REM sleep: the muscles are still relaxed, but the brain is active and dreams are built. This is an essential step for emotional management. Psychological well-being and memorization depend on it. The succession of these three phases constitutes a sleep cycle... And a good night's sleep includes 4 to 5 complete cycles! If slow-wave sleep is the majority at the start of the night, it gradually fades in favor of paradoxical sleep which flourishes just before waking up.
Sleep well: a vital need
Sleep acts as a regulator of the body . Essential, it allows the brain to free itself from toxins and regenerate itself.
Our “on-board computer” also needs sleep to reorganize neural connections. More generally, quality sleep contributes to the overall well-being of the body, facilitates memory, stimulates growth, activates the regeneration of bones, muscles and skin.
And, you guessed it, a well-rested body develops better resistance to stress and illness! Sleep even affects blood sugar levels by regulating hormones controlling eating behaviors.
Wake up the sleeper in you!
Your health capital is also in your bed… so definitely set aside time to sleep!
Of course, you 'll fall asleep more easily if you turn off screens an hour before bed, and if you eat dinner early. The body likes routine, please it by going to bed at regular times.
If you have difficulty falling asleep, don't give in to the anxiety of a sleepless night! Introduce yourself to relaxation and meditation: these two techniques will help you find deep well-being, which will let you slide gently into the arms of Morpheus.
Smart advice: Keep your feet (and hands) warm : this helps reduce the body's core temperature and helps you fall asleep.
“ Hurry up!” The earlobe, wrists and arch of the foot are home to acupuncture points: perform small pressure massages to relax. Breathe… Inhale deeply, expand your stomach. Hold for a few moments and exhale gently through your mouth.
Establish a nighttime atmosphere. Gradually dim the lighting throughout the evening to reduce stimulation of the brain by light.
Don't toss and turn in your bed! If you can't fall asleep after half an hour, get up and do a calm activity in dim light... fatigue will eventually overtake you.
Hide your alarm clock. Its luminous numbers attract your attention, and the vision of time passing can generate stress. Hiding the time will help you disconnect.
Plants can help us
There are natural solutions to help us regain restful sleep, such as Valerian, whose name comes from the Latin “Valere”, which means “to be well”, “to be vigorous”. It is used to improve the overall quality of sleep, and help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep (2). Alongside Valerian , Passionflower is known for its relaxing or calming properties (3). It was already used in the time of the Aztecs to soothe nervousness!
Finally, let us mention the California Poppy (or Eschscholtzia) which has calming properties and helps to reduce nighttime awakenings (4)(5).
(1) INSV / MGEN 2017 survey (2) Houghton PJ. The scientific basis for the reputed activity of Valerian. J Pharm Pharmacol 1999;51:505-12.(3)Grundmann O, Wahling C, Staiger C, Butterweck V. Anxiolytic effects of a passion flower (Passiflora incarnata L.) extract in the elevated plus maze in mice. Pharmazie 2009;64:63-4.(4)POTHIER J. et al., The sedative papaveraceae: the poppy and the California poppy. European Phytotherapy, Nov-Dec 2003, 17: 25-28. (5)VINCIERI FF et al.,An approach to the study of the biological activity of Eschscholtzia californica cham. Pharmacological Research Communications, 1988, 20 Suppl 5:41-4
