Insomnia: “Sleep problems often have hidden causes”

Why doctor – You just published “The hidden causes of sleep disorders and insomnia” (Editions Vérone). Why did you write this book?

Caroline Joutotte – I first wanted to explain to people that if they have sleep problems, it is generally because they do not know that this variable is governed by very specific rules.

I also want to make them understand that sleep is the result of what happens during the day and more generally in life: if it goes well, the sleep is good, if it goes less well, the sleep is less good. .

Finally, my work aims to de-dramatize the situation of people who suffer from sleep disorders.

Sleep disorders: definition and consequences

When can we talk about “sleep disorders”?

From the moment when the problems become recurrent, that is to say that one does not sleep well or not enough more than three times a week and over approximately three or four months. Below this frequency and duration, these are only occasional problems, often generated by very specific events (moving, illness, etc.).

Can you remind us of the health consequences of a lack of sleep?

Lack of sleep weakens the immune system, encourages snacking, leads to drinking alcohol, triggers the desire to smoke tobacco, lowers the level of concentration, reduces the ability to learn or accomplish goals, achieves our ability to take a step back from situations increases irritability, stress and anxiety.

How long should you sleep at night to stay healthy?

As a general rule, you should sleep around 7 or 8 hours per night, but it really depends on each individual’s needs. Some live very well with only 5 hours of sleep while others require 10, although these extremes are rare.

How to assess this necessary sleep time?

We simply need to analyze our state in the morning: if we are still tired when we get up, it is because we lack sleep.

What are the hidden causes of sleep disorders?

Among the hidden causes of sleep disorders, you mention in particular the importance of having a snack. Can you explain to us why?

Eating a good quality snack will promote two beneficial elements for sleep. First, it allows you to be less hungry in the evening, therefore to consume less fats and sugars which, if taken late, prevent you from falling asleep.

Consuming fresh, raw fruits such as tomatoes, grapes, apples or bananas late in the afternoon also allows the body to secrete melatonin around 9/10 p.m., when it is time to go to bed. .

Same question regarding sexual activity, to which you devote an entire chapter?

When we are with someone who respects us and loves us, sex, hugs and presence make us secrete endorphin, a hormone that greatly helps us fall into the arms of Morpheus (the same mechanism comes into play). game when a mother hugs her child to put him to sleep, Editor’s note).

Sex also helps generate a feeling of security and reduces the tensions of the day, which again promotes sleep.

What is the link between DNA and sleep?

We are not all born equal when it comes to sleep, because when we come into the world, we take over half of the DNA from each of our parents, whose action on sleep varies.

When a child under three years old cannot get a good night’s sleep, it is generally because the DNA he inherited from his parents does not perform its regenerative function well, allowing the body to make a kind of “big cleaning” when you sleep and thus be in good shape the next day.

We can also inherit characteristics through our DNA that impinge on the quality of sleep, such as a father’s or mother’s fear of the dark.

Same question regarding the moon and the sun?

Concerning the moon first, you should know that this star emits cosmic waves that are significantly higher than those of the sun. Disturbing sleep, they pass into the bedroom even when the shutters and windows are closed. Little tip regarding this phenomenon: if the material of the ground on which you sleep is very impermeable, the rays of the moon will reflect on it and therefore further degrade sleep. Conversely, a permeable bedroom floor allows them to pass through the earth, which has less impact on the quality of our nights.

Exposure to the sun allows us to advance the little internal clock in our head and thus know that at 10 p.m., it’s time to sleep. Conversely, scientists have demonstrated that when you spend a few weeks in a cave without any daylight, sleep becomes completely desynchronized.

Ideally, you should try to expose yourself to the rays two to three times during the day for 10 to 15 minutes, without protective cream.

Among the hidden causes of sleep and insomnia, which one do you think we think about the least?

I would perhaps say the cell phone, because it is a tool of our time that we use all the time without realizing that it impacts our sleep.

Are there things to put in place regarding this omnipresent telephone?

Yes. For example, you should avoid making a call in the car, on public transport or while walking, but rather stay put by putting the person on loudspeaker. This approach has less impact on the brain, and therefore less sleep.

How to fight against sleep disorders and their hidden causes?

You are a bedroom feng shui consultant. Can you explain this work to us?

This first involves going to my patient’s home to examine their room, because these places often contain clues to the person’s psychological state.

I also use this technique to harmonize the rooms of individuals who have sleep problems. Indeed, these places can contain materials, angles and objects that generate insomnia without the owner being aware of it. A simple trinket can, for example, evoke a death, a separation, etc.

Bedrooms are often the most catch-all and least well-appointed rooms in apartments or houses because guests don’t see them. However, it is a place that must be taken with great care, because we spend more than a third of our lives sleeping! To have quality sleep, it is necessary that this space be as uncluttered, as bright and as clean as possible, while reflecting as much as possible who you are today (children, adolescents, parents, single, couple , etc).

You are also a psychotherapist specializing in sleep disorders and insomnia. When should you be consulted?

From the moment you think you have made the necessary adjustments and it does not work, you should consult a sleep disorders professional.

Who usually comes to see you?

I see two categories of patients. The first are people on the verge of the abyss who have 15 or even 20 years of insomnia under their belt and who have tried everything: antidepressants, melatonin, sleeping pills, follow-up with a psychologist…

The second category is either young mothers who want to give their babies good sleeping habits, or older mothers who are faced with sleep problems in their teenager(s), a problem that is on the rise these days. last five years in my office.

How do you work?

As I am not a doctor, I first check during the first interview* that there are no medical problems causing insomnia (sleep apnea, etc.).

Then, depending on the problems of each patient, I practice EMDR, naturopathy, sophrology or even the feng shui mentioned above. The goal is to identify the cause(s) of sleep disorders in order to treat them and thus find long-term solutions.

Can you cure a sleep disorder?

I wouldn’t use the term “heal”, because sleep disorders are not considered an illness. But yes, it is possible to treat these kinds of problems, and often it doesn’t take much to reverse the trend.

*The first assessment is free.