One of the first things to do when suffering from insomnia is to eliminate our bad behaviors. You know those almost automatic behaviors that interfere with falling asleep and a good quality of sleep: scrolling through your insta feed, looking at the time every 10 minutes, stubbornly staying in bed, etc.

To sleep well, it is important to know yourself well. How many hours of sleep do you need? At what time do you feel tired?
It is by listening to your body that you will be able to get closer to your circadian rhythm.

The circadian rhythm is the internal clock of your body. It corresponds to the biological rhythm within which the phases of sleep and wakefulness follow one another. This rhythm is defined by your genetics but also by your environment. Multiple external factors can lead you to ignore your internal clock and thus deregulate the circadian rhythm.

The disruption of this rhythm can disrupt your sleep and cause sleep disorders. As a result, you are tired during the day and can't sleep at night.

Circadian sleep disorders occur when sleep and wake cycles are not aligned with the day and night cycles. What are the solutions to regain a circadian rhythm?

You can first take advantage of a vacation period to put your alarm clock in the closet. This way, you can identify the time at which you feel the need to sleep and the time of your natural awakening. Two cases can then present themselves to you: you are ahead of your circadian rhythm or you are behind.

• If you fall asleep early and wake up early, you are ahead of schedule. Increasing your exposure to sunlight and participating in engaging social activities in the evening can help you get back into your rhythm.
• Conversely, if you fall asleep late and wake up late: you are behind in your phase. Ban all your screens, sources of blue light at least two hours before bedtime and expose yourself to a light therapy lamp in the morning.

Once a circadian rhythm is restored, the key is regularity! Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

It is also important to take into account the external elements that can negatively influence your internal clock. Food, for example, is a factor that can potentially deregulate your circadian rhythm.

Nutrition is an essential part of good sleep hygiene. A poor diet can sabotage all the efforts you've made to get quality sleep. Some foods prevent you from sleeping while others are essential for good sleep. Is there an ideal meal to eat in the evening to prevent insomnia?

Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you how you sleep. To sleep well, watch what you put on your plate!

Do not eat too much fat

Eating too much fat during the day can interfere with your sleep for several reasons.

One of the main reasons is that eating too much fat can lead to a reduction in adiponectin, a hormone involved in the regulation of energy metabolism. This can disrupt your metabolism and alter your circadian rhythm.

Have a diet rich in tryptophan

For quality sleep, it is recommended to eat foods rich in tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid necessary for the synthesis of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of foods rich in tryptophan: cereals and starches (brown rice, oats, soy, sesame, quinoa), dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, dark chocolate, bananas, nuts, etc.

However, tryptophan is more easily assimilated by the body if it is combined with carbohydrates. You can therefore, for example, prepare a gourmet snack rich in tryptophan and carbohydrates (preferably low glycemic index).

Limit fast sugars in the evening

Sweet foods with a high glycemic index can have a negative effect on sleep. Indeed, by increasing the glycemia, these foods induce a rise in insulin. Then, the drop in blood sugar releases two hormones: adrenaline and cortisol, which interfere with sleep.

Limit your consumption of stimulants

Caffeine and nicotine are both harmful for falling asleep but also for the quality of sleep. By consuming these substances in too large quantities and too close to bedtime, you risk delaying your sleep and multiplying night-time awakenings.

Sport is the ally of your sleep. In fact, many studies show that there is a reciprocal relationship between sleep and physical exercise.

M. Chennaoui et al (2015) explain in particular that the effects of a moderate physical activity on sleep are always positive, regardless of the time of day at which it is practiced.
The National Sleep Institute recommends a progressive, regular and varied physical activity at any time of the day.

However, if you are not used to doing an intensive workout 10 minutes before bedtime, you may want to start by introducing sports gently into your daily routine. For example, you can start by choosing a short, moderate-intensity session on your way home from work.

If you're not a big sportsman: don't worry, the key is to incorporate movement into your day. You can go for a walk in your neighborhood, walk your dog in the nearest park, do some crafts or dance to your favorite music. Simply increase your energy expenditure through a variety of activities, whether they are social, domestic, sports or leisure activities.

As a substitute or as a complement to conventional medicine, alternative medicine can be an ally for your sleep. Body scanning, body heating or cardiac coherence are all techniques that you can integrate into your daily life to find sleep.

At Mindology we offer a complete support solution co-created with alternative medicine professionals. Pauline Gonse, our sophrologist, and Thibault Gouttier, our hypnotherapist, accompany you through video sessions to help you calm your anxiety, facilitate your sleep and find a deep and restful sleep.

You can find some of our sessions on our YouTube channel by clicking here and all the advice from our experts on the page Our advice.