The Dodecalogue of good sleep

Each of us may have found our own solutions for a good night's sleep. However, there is a golden "Dodecalogue", which can help:

  • Adjust the room temperature. For deep sleep, the ideal temperature is between 16 - 18 °C.

  • Turn off the lights. Light, especially bright light, disturbs sleep. The eyes perceive light even when they are closed and therefore total darkness is needed. If this is not possible, a sleep mask should help.

  • A warm bath before going to bed washes away the stress of the day. The human body begins to enter the sleep process when it begins to perceive a drop in temperature.

  • Reading a book is a good solution, to forget and drive away the stress of everyday life. Television can make you fall asleep, but also sometimes can lure you to stay up late.

  • Don't go to bed on an empty stomach. A light meal is best.

  • Avoid drinking coffee in the last three hours before bed, as well as tea and other beverages that contain hidden caffeine in their ingredients. Chamomile, on the other hand, helps.

  • Avoid before bed time any discussions about the day's issues, which add pressure and stress.

  • Also avoid intense physical exercise before bed time, because it stimulates the body. Instead, some mild stretching exercises can help.

  • Keep a fixed sleep schedule and try not to deviate from it. The so-called "biological clock" is very demanding. With a routine of movements or habits before bed time, we send a message to our brain preparing for it.

  • Do not resort to sleeping pills. Apart from the addiction they create when taken systematically, they require you to have enough time to sleep, because they make it difficult to wake up and, furthermore, create sleepiness during the day. The same applies to alcohol, which intoxicates us and puts us to sleep temporarily, but wakes us up quickly, because it raises the temperature of the body.

  • If your insomnia persists, consult your doctor, to find the cause and suggest more personal ways to facilitate sleep.

  • Finally, remember the decisive role of the mattress and the pillow. The right personal choice, the one that suits your body and its peculiarities, is the most basic recipe for good and healthy sleep.