Insomnia, sleep disturbances, nocturnal awakenings...
You know them well because you can no longer get a restful sleep.
We are going to see together the reflexes to adopt to tame this time of rest that you miss.
Naturally and without drugs!
You should know that your sleep is organized into several cycles that span two main periods:slow-wave sleep (slow brain activity) and paradoxical sleep (fast brain activity during which we dream).
Deep sleep, during which you recover from your fatigue, is one of the phases of slow-wave sleep.
The night is made up of a succession of cycles (3 to 5 cycles of 90 to 120 min). A “good” night should include 7 to 8.5 hours of sleep. 5 hours being the minimum acceptable duration to avoid putting yourself in danger.
And you, where are you?
Before taking any drug treatment, check that you follow common sense reflexes to help you fall asleep.
First of all, you can follow our advice here (to avoid sleeping pills, learn to spot your time of falling asleep, etc.) or even these (advice based on mild or severe insomnia).
In summary ? We opt for a lifestyle change that includes a nutritional analysis, your sports habits, your resistance to stress... A whole program!
The latter increases the production of cortisol, a hormone responsible for many insomnias when it is found in excess.
Become a fan of meditation, yoga, deep breathing, cardiac coherence... In short, find your Zen habit!
Choose certain plants that allow you to relax
- Rhodiola:in capsules, it promotes resistance to stress and lowers cortisol secretion.
- Siberian ginseng:this is another major treatment against stress, also in capsules.
- Ashwagandha:in powder form, this Ayurvedic product is known to promote deep sleep.
You can also choose to take passionflower or hawthorn herbal teas. A magnesium cure can also be beneficial.
Adopt a sleep routine:try to go to bed before 11 p.m. if possible, in a cool room (18 to 20°C), without noise and in the dark.
Run away from action movies or your computer and prefer a good relaxing hot bath, with an infusion or a warm honey milk.
You will avoid a diet based on sugars and accompanied by stimulants (caffeine, nicotine, alcohol...) which increase cortisol or fragment your sleep.
So no heavy or high carb dinners. Base your meals on the intake of proteins and vegetables, nuts, almonds, seeds (pumpkin seeds for example are full of magnesium).
Choose a physical activity that suits you and practice it at least three times a week, preferably in the morning or early afternoon, but in any case at least 4 hours before sleeping.
Endurance sports allowing the production of endorphins, the latter will promote better sleep.
Of course, you have to keep things in mind, because if you have to deal with a health problem of which insomnia is only a symptom, the management would be totally different.
Depression, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea syndrome... will find an answer with medical support.
