Waking up during the night, difficulty falling asleep, waking up too early, non-restorative sleep, daytime fatigue; there are many types of sleep disorders, and one in three French people report having poor sleep quality.
Taking care of your health also depends on sleep! Problems with concentration and memory, increased susceptibility to viruses, reduced alertness, high blood pressure, risk of obesity, etc. Lack of sleep can have devastating effects on your health, which is why it’s important to prioritize it.
Sophrology is an effective way to combat sleep disorders. Through muscle relaxation, breathing, and visualization exercises, it offers you a range of simple and effective techniques that you can practice on your own at home.
By calming the nervous system and releasing the tension that has built up throughout the day, it relaxes both body and mind and helps you fall asleep and sleep peacefully.
Here are a few sophrology tips and exercises to help you get a restful night's sleep—because you can learn to sleep well!
Tip 1: Go to bed at the right time
We often go to bed at the wrong time (either too early or too late). But if you go to bed without being tired, you're sure to have trouble falling asleep!
That's why it's important to respect your body's natural rhythm and get enough sleep. To do this, you should adjust your bedtime based on when you get up in the morning (adults need an average of about 7.5 hours of sleep per day).
Good to know: Our sleep needs and wake-up times also vary depending on our chronotype (early risers, late risers) and how much sleep we need (light sleepers or heavy sleepers).
If you go to bed at the right time and stick to a consistent bedtime and wake-up time every day, your body's internal clock will stabilize, and you'll be able to sleep soundly again! The body needs a regular routine to function properly!
Going to bed at the right time also means listening to your body and its signals that it’s time to sleep. So if you notice yourself yawning, your body temperature dropping, your attention waning, a tingling sensation in your eyes, and so on, then it’s time for you to go to bed and hop on the sleep train.
Please note: If you miss your sleeper train, you'll have to take the next one—which leaves 1.5 hours later!
To make sure you don't miss your sleep cycle, it's important to pay attention to the signs that you're falling asleep. Can you recognize your own?
To improve your body awareness, set aside some time each day for this exercise:
Sit comfortably in an upright position. Close your eyes. Focus on the points where your body touches the surface: your back against the backrest, your buttocks and thighs against the chair, and your feet firmly planted on the floor. Then, starting from your head and working down to your feet, as if you were performing a body scan, release tension in each area: your forehead, eyes, jaw, elbows, back, chest, abdomen, and legs. Each time, feel your muscles relax and notice the different sensations in your body.
Listening to your body means paying attention to the signs that you're falling asleep—and thus to your sleep!
Tip 2: Reduce your stress levels and relieve unnecessary tension.
Sleep disturbances are sometimes linked to underlying stress or unpleasant emotions. And as we know, falling asleep while feeling angry, sad, or stressed is not the answer.
That's why you can do the "shoulder pumps" exercise before going to bed to relieve the day's tension and get into a comfortable sleeping position.
Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Close your eyes and begin to clench your fists. Imagine your anger, stress, or whatever is keeping you from sleeping in your fists, then inhale and raise your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold your breath and move your shoulders up and down, gradually increasing the speed. As you exhale forcefully, release your shoulders and arms and open your hands, as if you were throwing something onto the floor. Repeat at least three times.
Sometimes you lie in bed and think about the day that just passed and the day ahead, going over everything in your mind again. It’s hard to fall back asleep when your mind is racing.
So instead of staying fixated on your thoughts, shift your attention—for example—to your breathing, to the points where your body touches the bed, or to a specific part of your body. The goal is to avoid getting stuck in your own mind.
Exercise: When you're falling asleep or wake up during the night, focus on your breathing to help you fall back asleep.
Focus on your abdominal breathing and feel your abdomen expand as you inhale and contract as you exhale. You can place your hands on your abdomen to feel the movement of your breath. Gradually lengthen your exhalation by gently blowing through your mouth, as if you were blowing through a straw. Feel calm and relaxation wash over you... Continue for 5 minutes.
If you still can't fall asleep after 20 minutes, you can get up or stay in bed and do something quiet (such as reading).
Tip 3: Break bad habits and establish a routine.
Sleep problems are often caused by external factors or bad habits that people develop in the evening or during the day. In such cases, all it takes is a few adjustments to get back to sleeping well!
Here are a few tips:
Eat a light dinner and finish your meal at least one hour before bedtime; avoid stress and the blue light from screens, which blocks the sleep hormone.
In the bedroom, you should aim for a temperature of about 19°C and avoid sources of light and noise that could disturb your sleep.
During the day, you should try to be as inactive as possible so that you'll feel sleepy enough to fall asleep at night.
Finally, I recommend that you establish a little bedtime ritual: read a book, drink some herbal tea, take a bath... Make bedtime a pleasant, peaceful, and comfortable experience. For example, you can do stretching exercises to loosen up your body, practice relaxation techniques, try sophrology, and so on.
Tip: Before going to bed, write down three positive things that happened during the day in a notebook (the sun, a kind word, a success...). That way, you'll fall asleep on a gentle, positive note!
To fall asleep even more peacefully, imagine your place of refuge.
Lie in bed with your eyes closed and imagine a pleasant place that you like (a landscape, mountains, the ocean, etc.). Take in everything that’s there and engage your different senses. Take the time to let this place sink in, as if you were actually there, and slowly drift off to sleep.
Remember that sleep is an essential part of good health. It’s your best ally for a peaceful and calm life. So treat yourself well and take care of yourself!
Laetitia Guyon, a sophrologist specializing in sleep disorders