REPORT “Sleep in all its states!”

Today, rather than restoring sleep to its rightful place, we sacrifice it on the altar of work, in the name of hyper-productivity, or train it with drugs, if not food supplements. While there is a very simple solution: SLEEP. Why has it become so difficult to sleep well today?

Why has this primary need become so difficult to satisfy?

One thing is certain, we are all concerned. The evolution of the place of light in our daily lives, the evolution of our lifestyles, the evolution of our behaviors due to the Internet… Sleeping badly in our time is explained. But it is far from being a fatality!

 

Sleep and Chronobiology

Let’s get back to basics: our biological clock, the conductor – the Maestro please!, of our body. The one that will set the tempo for all our circadian circles. You should know that the functioning of each organ – and even of each cell, is governed by an internal clock.

And it is all of these internal clocks that are synchronized by the biological clock, located in the hypothalamus. She then gives the measure so that all beat on the same rhythm. More concretely: that the metabolic, digestive, renal, respiratory, endocrine and nervous functions are regulated by this central clock, on a cycle of 24 hours – 24h12 to be exact!

That is, slightly more than one rotation of planet Earth on itself. The correct adjustment of this so-called circadian rhythm then depends on body temperature, mood, heart rate, attention, and of course… sleep! Knowing that the rate at which the hands of the biological watch move varies from one person to another. Our physical and cognitive performance is thus directly linked to circadian circles.

Chronobiology, the study of biological rhythms, has made it possible to better understand these mechanisms, and has shown in particular the key role of sunlight – and particularly of the light-dark alternation in the synchronization of the biological clock.

 

Light is our main external synchronizer

It is essential to the conductor, because it provides him with all the information he needs to establish the rhythm. Indeed, light allows the biological clock to be reset and is synonymous with awakening for the body. Good “Light Hygiene” is therefore essential…

By activating a set of biological mechanisms, light allows quality alertness and cognitive functioning during the day. It is the right exposure to light during the day and darkness at night, which allows an optimal synchronization of the biological clock and therefore allows us to sleep well!

A virtuous circle when everything works but which can have serious consequences on our health when it is off…

 

Make sleep your priority

Make sure to set a regular time for going to bed and getting up. And we respect this schedule on weekends too! (Even if it’s not easy – we agree!)

This kind of ritual greatly helps the body’s internal clock to keep its rhythm. And the more we respect our own rhythm, the more energy and concentration we have to achieve our goals during the day.

Just try to see!

 

And melatonin in all this?

This hormone that we associate with sleep, and which makes everyone talk! Only secreted at night thanks to darkness, melatonin is the hormone that helps to plunge into deep sleep. Then between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., cortisol takes over.

By playing a major role in the balance of blood sugar levels, the latter contributes to providing the energy necessary for an effort.

But you should know that here too, the energy is present differently from one individual to another! Each of us performs better at one time or another of the day: this applies as much to physical exertion as it does to cognitive tasks.

Complex cognitive tasks such as arithmetic calculation or short-term memory are dependent on a rhythm whose peak is in the early hours of the morning.

They are more difficult to achieve in the early afternoon. You know right after the meal… when the call of the siesta is felt! This hour is also not recommended for starting a new task or doing something you have never done!

 

More in the morning or more in the evening?

A question that we often manage to answer from our youngest age! Indeed, being in the morning or in the evening is a personal characteristic with which you have to live often… all your life!

The “early risers” will easily recognize themselves with their formidable ability to be immediately in the action in the morning.

Just like the “night owls”, active and productive in the second part of the day, not to say first part of the night! This morning-evening dimension is usually fixed and defined in an individual and we tend to follow it all his life.

Sleep and Immune System

If the quality of our sleep results from our biological clock, it then directly impacts our immune system. We are not going to hide our face, this one goes into active mode as soon as we go to bed!

Sleep is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system because it is a period of recovery, repair and resourcing, during which the latter acts.

Displacement of certain components, creation of immune memories, triggering of processes that promote cell proliferation and efficiency…

 

When we sleep, our immune cells move…

Indeed, some of our immune cells start moving as soon as we sleep! During sleep, T lymphocytes leave the blood to reach the lymph nodes and return to the blood as soon as you wake up.

This helps with adaptive immune memory. These movements also help maintain balance.

 

…and our immune system creates memories!

While sleep helps the brain create memories, so do immune memories.

Hormones secreted by the endocrine system during slow-wave sleep induce the creation of long-lasting immune memories.

An essential factor for the response of the adaptive immune system.

 

The effectiveness of our immune cells is preserved while we sleep…

It is well known: after a good night’s sleep, we are more efficient and more ready to face what life has in store for us. Our immune system is in its optimal state after a quality night’s sleep.
Studies have also shown the strong interactions between sleep and certain immuno-cellular processes, in particular: proliferation of white blood cells and protective immune proteins (cytokines) activation of immune cells differentiation of new white blood cells optimal functioning of natural killer cells (fast-acting white blood cells of the innate immune system).
By favoring quality sleep, we take care of our immune cells; and our bodyguards are thus stored in a safe place and ready to protect us as necessary!
What if we looked a little more at our sleeping environment?
Sleep & Feng Shui
Feng Shui, we have all heard of it, but do we really know what it is?
Feng Shui is this Chinese art that allows you to rebalance the energies of a place, by modifying its layout.
With the aim of increasing the quality of life, health and well-being of the inhabitants of the home. Having a Feng Shui bedroom means optimizing your environment to sleep well, and find quality sleep.
To apply its precepts, several elements must be taken into account. This way the guide!
The position of the bed
According to Feng Shui, the bed should be as far as possible from the front door and should not be under a window or facing the door, because the energy flows that cross the room do not promote good sleep.
And we position the head of the bed preferably against the wall. The ideal is also to sleep with your head to the East or North.
Colors
Colors play an essential role in Feng Shui!
In the bedroom, we will always favor soft colors and pastels, reserving bright colors for accessories and linens.
Bye bye electronics!
To have a Feng Shui bedroom, all sources of waves and screens must be kept away.
This clearly means: no telephone, no television and no computer turned on in the room.
Sleep next to a tangle of electric wires, we forget! It’s harder said than done these days, but to sleep well you have to leave them in another room.
The bedroom is not an office

So you avoid working in your room or storing work-related objects there.

Again, it’s not always easy and it depends of course on the size of our living spaces, but we try as much as possible!

 

The choice of furniture

In Feng Shui, furniture in the bedroom is preferably rounded and light in color, not too close to the bed.

It is recommended to avoid hanging cupboards and open shelves that give a feeling of heaviness, especially near the bed.

And if the bedroom is adjacent to the bathroom, the door must be kept closed so that the negative energy of the latter does not enter the bedroom.

 

 

Scent your room

To perfume your room is to give it a Feng Shui atmosphere! You can opt for sandalwood or jasmine scents which have relaxing properties.

Note that the essential oil of lavender, at the rate of a drop on the pillow, can help you fall asleep.

 

Soft, subdued lighting

The art of Feng Shui recommends lighting should be soft, subdued… When the lighting is too powerful, it can cause tension, while too dim lighting can cause anxiety.

 

And of course, we tidy up!
To facilitate the flow of chi: “energy”, the space must be tidy. The same goes for the space under our bed. This must remain empty as much as possible, always with the aim of circulating the energy. Overall, the less furniture and objects the room contains, the better!
And of course, we tidy up!
To facilitate the flow of chi: “energy”, the space must be tidy. The same goes for the space under our bed. This must remain empty as much as possible, always with the aim of circulating the energy. Overall, the less furniture and objects the room contains, the better!
Natural material
To have a Feng Shui bedroom, and optimize the conditions for quality sleep, natural materials are used, such as wood for furniture or natural fibres: linen, cotton for linen and curtains.
Soft and silky materials call for relaxation!
Objects to avoid
Some objects are to be avoided, if not banned according to the rules of Feng Shui.
Like the mirror! And if you still want to have one – it can be useful for getting dressed in the morning!, you have to keep it as far away from the bed as possible, so as not to see yourself lying down.
Objects related to employment or administrative tasks, photos (except photos of couples), objects with violent connotations, or sharp or pointed objects, are to be excluded from his room.
In general, we choose the objects by 2! Pillows, bedside tables, etc.
Sleep and Meditation
If our external environment affects our sleep and our ability to fall asleep, it is the same for our internal environment, our state of mind…
How to improve your quality of sleep?
Our biological clock is now out of step with the clock of our social life – with our schedules! It’s a fact, we know that. And this has a profound impact on the quality of our sleep, and therefore the quality of our life.
Getting enough sleep is essential – and yet, for the majority of us, we just don’t get it anymore.
Children, home/work travel times, staggered hours, and so on! prevent us from reaching our recommended 7 to 8 hours of daily sleep.
Meditation is a help to find a quality sleep, a restful sleep
How to proceed ? You can start by integrating relaxation and meditation into your relaxation ritual. As we saw earlier, we turn off the screens, we dim the light in our room and we can even listen to soft instrumental music. Before going to bed, light stretching helps release physical tension…
When you realize you have the power to make a difference, why not start today? 

Free your potential
now