Maintaining a healthy daily routine requiressmall habits thatarepart of an ideallybalanced lifestyle. Everything in our daily livesaffectsourwell-beingandhealth, whether immediately or only after many years. This applies, for example, to sleep. A short night’s sleep makes itself felt the next day, without having any major impact on health.However, ifsleep deprivation occurs regularly, it can pose risks to the cardiovascular system, mental health, and physical health, and impair overall bodily function.
Sleep regulates our circadian rhythm, which corresponds tothehumanbody’sbiological clock, that oscillates between wakefulness and sleep over a 24-hour period. Getting a good night’s sleep means respecting our body’s natural rhythms to ensure that all bodily functions work properly.
To markInternational Sleep Day, we’d liketo sharea few tips to help you enjoy restful and relaxing nights.
1) A Healthy Diet
It is well known that a healthy dietpromotesgoodhealth,providesmoreenergy, andensuresanoptimalintake ofvitaminsandnutrients. But there are also a few guidelines you should follow to help you fall asleep quickly.
Three varied meals atsettimeswillsynchronize your body clock and thus help you sleep well. Good habits are developed by sticking to specific time windows.
In the evening, you shouldeat2to 3 hours before going to bed. This gives your body timetoloweritstemperature afterdigestion. Heavy or overly fatty meals should be avoided before bedtime (except on special occasions, of course!). This is because, in this case as well, consuming too many calories will lead to slower and more difficult digestion.
For dinner, you can choose foods thatpromotea good night’s sleep bystimulatingthe production ofserotoninandmelatonin. These two hormones help you get a good night’s sleep. To this end, you should prioritize foods high in tryptophan (an amino acid): legumes, dairy products, poultry, chocolate, bananas, oatmeal, and soybeans.
In addition,slow-releasesugars helpyou fall asleep, since carbohydrates aid in the production of the well-known sleep hormones.
For dinner, you can choose between pasta, rice, potatoes, legumes with poultry (not too much animal protein, which stimulates the body), or soy protein, perhaps with a little bread. And, of course, any vegetables or fruit (especially bananas and dates).
Another helpful tip is toendyour meal with awarm drink (if you feel like it): This could be warm, sweetened milk or an herbal or fruit tea made from chamomile, linden blossom, verbena, or valerian. You’re sure to feel relaxed!
2) A Good Routine
Good habitsbeforebedtime—and also as a way to treat yourself—will put you in the right frame of mind for a good night's sleep.
After a good meal, the evening begins, and you can use this special moment tointroducearitual tailored to your needs.
If you tend to dwell on the past day or feel stressed,writing can helpyourelieve tension. You can simply keep a notebook to jot down your current thoughts. This is a very interesting exercise that gives you a sense of lightness.
Gratitudeisa powerful tool that helps you focus on the positive aspects of your life. When you write down the good things that happened during the day, you can minimize the negative aspects—the ones we tend to overemphasize.
Allmeditation or yoga exercises—even if that sounds like a cliché—will help you focus on the present moment and reduce nervous tension.
In general, it’snot recommendedto usescreens before bedtime, since blue light disrupts your sleep cycle. But since it’s also about treating yourself, curling up under a blanket with a good TV show and a cup of herbal tea is one of those simple pleasures that are balm for the soul. If you enjoy reading, a novel before bedtime is, of course, a much better choice.
If youplan yournext day, you won't feel stressed right after waking up. This includes choosing what to wear, planning breakfast, and even jotting down a few notes about your goals for the day. That way, you'll go to bed feeling light and relaxed and will be able to sleep well.
3) Do a little exercise
Well, yes, that seems to contradict the previous point, whichhasa"cocooning" vibe. But when it comes to exercise, there are of course differences inintensity, and thatdependson thetime of day.
Everyone knows thatincorporatinganexercise routine into your daily life is very beneficial. Regular physical activity increases your basal metabolic rate, promotes weight loss (especially when combined with a healthy diet), and reduces stress—primarily through the release of endorphins. The list of benefits is long, both in terms of physical and mental health.
When it comes to recovery, exercise helpsextendthedeep sleep phase. At first, you feel what is often described as “good tiredness”—the kind of tiredness that comes from physical exertion and a busy day.
You’ll find various recommendations regarding the ideal time to exercise, particularly in favor of the morning. But everyone is different, as are daily routines; whether you exercise early in the morning or late in the evening, the important thing is to listen to your body and enjoy yourself. Ideally, it’s best to exercise several hours before bedtime, because exercise is exciting and boosts adrenaline levels in particular. At least, that’s true for fairly intense forms of exercise.
Ifit'syogaorhiking, you can definitely do that in the evening, too.
Regular physical activity thus creates apositive cycleinvolvinga general sense of calm, healthy tiredness, longer periods of deep sleep, and a healthier mind and body.
It is recommended thatyou exercise for 30 minutes a dayand take adequate rest breaks depending on the intensity of yourworkout.
4) Avoid substances such as coffee, tea, or nicotine after 5 p.m.
Drinkingcaffeinated beveragesatthe end of the day can have a negative effect on sleep. This is especially true if you are sensitive to them. This applies particularly tocoffeeandtea, which are consumed very frequently worldwide and in France.
This is due tocaffeine, which—despite its name—is found not only in coffee and tea, but also in cola beverages and other energy drinks. Incidentally, it is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
Therefore, you should consume it sparingly and, above all, avoid it after 5 p.m. And for good reason: If you drink coffee 6 hours before going to sleep, you’ll lose an hour of sleep and reduce the quality of your sleep. Coffee tops the list because its caffeine concentration is still much higher than that of tea (on average, two to three times per cup). Tea should also not be consumed at the end of the day, especially if you’re already a light sleeper. As mentioned earlier, herbal or fruit teas are much better options.
The same applies tonicotine, which is a stimulant. In addition to its well-known harmful health effects, nicotine also raises blood pressure and heart rate, which in turn negatively affects sleep quality.
Many people find it difficult to give up caffeine or nicotine, but you can at least cut back on them and avoid consuming them in the evening to create the best conditions for a good night's sleep.
5) Have a healthy, VOC-free bedroom
Finally—and this is the point people usually think about the least—ahealthy bedroomisa key factor in getting a good night's sleep.
It is recommendedthat you maintainaroom temperature of 18 degreesto help you fall asleep. Don't hesitate to air out the room regularly to refresh the air and maintain the recommended temperature as much as possible.
Avoid prolonged use of scented candles, incense sticks, or similar products, whichtend toincreaseindoor air pollution.
Creating a cozy space that appeals to us and whosedecorwelove will make us more eager to head there for our evening ritual. A healthy bedroom features high-quality beds and furniture made from materials that are as natural as possible. When it comes to mattresses, for example, natural latex provides unparalleled comfort—all without releasing any endocrine disruptors. The same goes for bedding, which is available in organic cotton or linen. A beautifulbedthat feelspleasant to the touch makes us more eager to lie down and enjoy it.
At KIPLI, we understand this and are committed to helping you create a healthy home environment that is free of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Our selection ofmattresses,beds, andcomfortersis madefrom natural, eco-friendly materials and fabrics and is built to last a lifetime.
We hope these tips will help you get a better night's sleep.