When insomnia creeps into your nights and becomes too recurring, the consequences on your physical and mental well-being take hold on a daily basis. To no longer just dream of spending peaceful nights and finally act, natural solutions to sleep better are not lacking.
In order to move from best nights : food supplements, the bedtime ritual or certain foods to promote will be the allies of restful sleep, without resorting to sleeping pills. Poméol invites you to discover the 5 tips natural to sleep well and transform your insomnia into peaceful nights.
What is insomnia?
Constantly increasing in recent years, insomnia is the most widespread sleep disorder and affects approximately 15% to 20% of the population, all ages combined. But did you know that insomnia doesn't just affect your nights? Indeed, insomnia corresponds to a reduction in the duration of sleep and/or an impairment of the quality of sleep which can also lead to repercussions on how your days go.
What are the signs of insomnia?
If you experience difficulty falling asleep, frequent nighttime awakenings or waking up too early in the morning; these are probably manifestations of episodes of insomnia . However, it is important to differentiate between two types of insomnia: acute and chronic, which will not have the same impact on your body.
Some insomnia can occur occasionally and is generally linked to a disruptive element in your life: exams, colds, stress, taking stimulants, pain, etc. Fortunately, they end up disappearing as quickly as they arrived once the triggering factor has been eliminated. These acute insomnia then have no lasting consequences on your days given that they only last a few nights.
However, insomnia is considered to be chronic if the episodes occur three times a week or more, and have been occurring for at least three months.
This insomnia is more difficult to manage on a daily basis since it significantly affects lifestyle. Between daytime sleepiness, irritability, memory loss or difficulty concentrating, the consequences can be significant. Furthermore, in the long term, repeated lack of sleep and the absence of restful nights can lead to weight gain, a reduction in muscle mass and the occurrence of pathologies such as hypertension, depression or chronic pain. .
What causes insomnia?
It then seems essential to learn to change your habits and detect the causes of your restless nights. Just like size or body shape varies from person to person, so does sleep. No one is equal when it comes to the duration of their sleep, their ability to fall asleep and therefore the risk of insomnia.
Good behaviors to adopt against insomnia
- Do not consume exciting substances before bedtime
Such as caffeine, tobacco or alcohol which do not contribute to rapid falling asleep.
- Do not exercise after 8 p.m.
- Do not eat a meal that is too rich
- Don't overheat your room
- Do not spend your evening in front of a screen (smartphone, television)
This seems like a good way to occupy yourself while waiting for the arms of Morpheus... And yet your body does not agree! Indeed, blue light from screens is responsible for the inhibition of a hormone involved in the synchronization of sleep and the regulation of biological rhythms: melatonin! In addition, beyond blue light, screens and especially their content are sources of brain stimulation which does not promote a state conducive to falling asleep.
Others internal factors also affect the quality of your sleep, and do not depend on your habits or your environment.
Hormones
Estrogens in particular are known to disrupt sleep, particularly during peri-menopause and menopause or during pregnancy.
Conditions such as anxiety or depression
They can be the cause of chronic insomnia, and paradoxically, they can also be its consequences. Depression responsible for insomnia, or insomnia responsible for depression? This is the reason why the causes and consequences of chronic insomnia are particularly difficult to differentiate, and why it may be useful to consult a health professional for appropriate treatment.
How to fall asleep quickly with insomnia?
THE bedtime ritual
It remains the essential technique for young parents to allow children from a very young age to fall asleep easily in an environment conducive to sleep, why couldn't adults do the same?
Indeed, regardless of age, it seems difficult to quickly move from a phase of full wakefulness to a restful sleep of several hours without first preparing your body. So, carving out time for yourself and avoiding certain habits a few hours before bed will allow you to gradually regain control over your sleep.
A few hours before bed:
- Avoid practicing a sporting activity before 8 p.m.
- Ban exciting substances (tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco)
- Keep screens away from your eyes (television, computer, smartphone)
- Avoid meals that are too rich and copious
- Do not stay in an overheated atmosphere
The peaceful sleeping environment
To do this, it is important to dedicate a space solely to sleep, such as the bedroom or bed. Indeed, working in your room or eating on your bed can trick the brain into preventing it from understanding that it is finally time to sleep and thus lead to difficulty falling asleep.
In addition, do not hesitate to find a few minutes before bedtime to provide some calm and peaceful time.
Relaxation tips
They can help get rid of the many thoughts that agitate the brain. Meditation podcasts, sophrology, soothing reading or breathing exercises will help you relax your body and create a climate of relaxation to combat insomnia.
What foods for insomnia?
The secrets to good sleep also lie in your food ! Your plate is full of benefits for nights without insomnia. But what foods should you choose to sleep well?
In order to naturally produce the essential sleep hormone: melatonin , the brain needs another hormone to help you fall asleep: serotonin . But how is serotonin produced? It needs an amino acid: tryptophan , the majority of which comes from food. Therefore, consuming foods rich in tryptophan will help regulate your sleep.
Foods rich in tryptophan:
- Complete rice
- Banana
- Chocolate
- Legumes
- Dairy products
- Peanuts, cashews
- Poultry
- Soy
Also, consume foods rich in magnesium such as spinach, dark chocolate or almonds will facilitate the production of serotonin and therefore melatonin. The perfect opportunity to justify a square of dark chocolate just before bed! Fish and seafood products are rich in vitamin 6 , known to increase the assimilation of magnesium and therefore its beneficial effects on sleep.
Finally, it is common opinion that starchy foods should not be part of the evening meal, and yet the starch contained in pasta, rice or cereals contributes to the production of sleep hormones. So no more reason to deprive yourself of it!
What food supplement for sleeping?
For peaceful nights and effective sleep that relieves everyday worries, there is no need to turn to sleeping pills or other hypnotic and anxiolytic medications that can lead to a strong feeling of dependence.
Among the best natural solutions, food supplements are in the lead in guaranteeing restful sleep and limiting episodes of insomnia. Without addiction or dependence, they contain ingredients with relaxing and sedative properties. Designed to help you sleep better, certain food supplements also help resynchronize your sleep cycles for a lasting effect on your nights. Consumer opinions are unanimous, but what do these natural food supplements contain to be so effective?
- Melatonin : generally called “sleep hormone”, it is secreted by a region of the brain during the night. It helps regulate biological rhythms and helps reduce the time it takes to fall asleep.
- Amino acids : tryptophan, glutamine, carnitine promote sleep and reduce stress
- Magnesium : it helps reduce fatigue and soothes the nervous balance of your body
- Plants : valerian, passionflower, lemon balm, hops to relieve sleep disorders
To regain quality sleep and days without drowsiness, the best food supplements to choose are those that combine the power of these ingredients in an easy-to-use capsule or tablet format.
Our DorPulse® sleep food supplement is designed for synchronize all phases of sleep to improve the quality of your nights. It acts on all phases of sleep for faster falling asleep, longer sleep duration, easier recovery as well as a boost in energy seen upon waking up. Without addiction or dependence, this effective food supplement against difficulty falling asleep combines the right dose of melatonin (1mg) with a combination of sleep-restoring active ingredients such as magnesium, hops, valerian, oats, amino acids (tryptophan) or vitamins. . A winning cocktail against difficult nights concentrated in one tablet!
