The average time it takes a French person to fall asleep is 24 minutes, which still seems quite long but should be put into perspective. Indeed, sleep medicine considers a falling asleep time of 10 to 20 minutes to be normal.
We don't want to scare you, but it's not getting better... This sleep latency, which is less than 30 minutes before the age of 50, gradually increases to reach more than 45 minutes at the age of 80. It varies between individuals, the degree of fatigue or exposure to stimuli in the period preceding sleep.
No Panic! We have carefully selected some tips for you to quickly fall asleep without resorting to sleeping pills ;)
#1 – Don’t dine too late (and too heavy)
Going to bed with a full stomach is not a good idea! Indeed, digestion will disrupt your falling asleep by increasing your internal temperature, especially in the event of heavy meals or too much protein, and your body precisely needs to lower its temperature. This is why the dinner schedule and its composition are important because they can have a bad influence on sleep.
To give you the best advice, we rely on the recommendation of the INSV (National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance) to dine 2 to 3 hours before going to bed to promote digestion. The meal should be light but substantial with easy-to-digest ingredients, favoring carbohydrates and slow sugars over lipids. Proteins should also be avoided because they stimulate alertness just like coffee!
#2 – Take a small infusion
What if before falling asleep, you treat yourself to a moment of calm around a good herbal tea. Herbal teas have several benefits, digestive when you have eaten too much, disinfectant if you have a cold, or soothing when you feel tense.
At Bonsoirs, we recommend chamomile to heal you, verbena to digest and lime blossom to relax. Of course you can also let yourself be tempted by mixtures to multiply the benefits of these small, more than natural plants. For those looking for a brand, the Chic des Plantes brand! offers you organic infusions made in France, notably the “Morphée” infusion to put you to sleep with peace of mind.
#3 – Have a good sleeping environment
Sleeping in a room in which you feel good is the Sine qua non condition! For this, it is recommended that your room be soundproofed and dark to avoid any noise and light that may prevent you from falling asleep (the light of a night light is allowed). Finally, the ultimate rule is to sleep on quality bedding, adapted to your body shape and your sleeping position. An unsuitable mattress or pillow can prevent you from sleeping and cause pain or numbness.
#4 – Lower the temperature of your body and your room
Our body temperature, regulated by our biological clock, has a major role in falling asleep. It decreases from 7 p.m. to reach its minimum around 3 a.m.
In order to regulate it, it is important to keep a cool temperature in the room (between 16 and 20°C). Another solution, more pleasant and relaxing, is to take a shower or a bath 1 to 1.5 hours before going to sleep to give the temperature time to cool down.
#5 – Read a book
While your screens are keeping you from sleeping, a good old book can help you drift off.
Remember that evening, when tucked up in your bed, you found yourself reading your favorite book (Harry Potter, Mussot… whatever). After a few pages of reading, your eyes felt very heavy and when you closed your work and put it down… barely had time to say “phew” and you had dozed off.
So everyone to your books (paper version we mean)! For a good restful sleep, we of course avoid books that will give you nightmares (goodbye Stephen King).
#6 – Do meditation or breathing exercises
Meditation is a mind training practice that promotes well-being and relaxation. Be careful, we immediately see the clichés coming... you are not necessarily going to find yourself on a carpet, in full lotus position, levitating and making an “ahuuuuum”. On the contrary, the very principle of yoga is that you can do it anywhere, in your bed, on your sofa... and even in the metro if you want.
There are meditation classes in specialized rooms with very simple visualization exercises that you can reproduce at home, comfortably seated at the bottom of your bed, covered by your sheets. Good evening . For those who cannot afford to opt for live classes (we understand), no problem, applications are accessible on Smartphones as is the case with “Petit Bambou”.
#7 – Diffuse essential oils
Near your bed, you can diffuse essential oils such as lavender, chamomile and bergamot which soothe and promote sleep. You can also place a few drops on the pillow so that the scent lulls you. What's better than an aromatherapy institute at home?
#8 – Self-massage
Lying in your bed, in the dark, take about ten minutes to self-massage. (or get a massage). With a mixture of olive oil and a few drops of lavender essential oil, massage your temples, wrists, solar plexus and feet. Relaxation guaranteed ;)
#9 – Have good sleep habits
Having good habits can really help you regulate your sleep and therefore find it more easily. First, adopt regular sleep times by going to bed and waking up at the same time. Secondly, it is important not to stay in the dark all day so that your biological clock is not disrupted and does not give in to fatigue in the middle of the day.
To find out more about your sleep cycle, our article “ Sleep cycle: all our advice ” is online!
#10 – Buy sheets Good evening (of course)
Because we needed one last tip, we will praise the merits of our sheets in case of insomnia! Wrap yourself in the freshness of cotton percale , the softness of cotton satin or the lightness of washed linen , materials with soothing properties.
We hope you will adopt some of our tips into your bedtime routine, which will help you in the quest for sleep ;)