After one bad night sleep, getting out of bed to start the day, staying awake at work or taking care of the children are (very) rarely a piece of cake. Impact on mental health, irritability, memory problems, increased abdominal fat, hypertension or diabetes… Sleep is linked to a large majority of important bodily functions, and when we lack it, it can affect our system. immune system, our appetite or stress hormones.
If we should ideally sleep between seven and nine hours a night to be fit and healthy the next day, there is always a reason why we do not reach them. But beware, even a single bad night’s sleep can have adverse effects on our health.
How to improve your sleep?
To sleep well, it is above all necessary to have good sleeping conditions. The environment in which you spend your night is essential: do not heat your room too much (not beyond 20°C), keep your electronic devices away and switch them off at least one hour before going to bed and make sure to that there is not too much noise or light.
Also avoid caffeine, theine and any other stimulant in the hours before going to bed, and do not eat your dinner too late: digestion can interfere with sleep, especially if foods that are too fatty or too sweet have been ingested. They can remain in the stomach and cause intestinal discomfort, difficulty falling asleep or, in the worst case, nocturnal awakenings.
If there is no miracle solution against lack of sleep, here are some tips to make the next day more bearable and above all to survive it.
