For many, sleep remains the best ally of shortened, fragmented or simply sleepless nights. But is it really an effective and healthy reflex? Neurologist’s insights.
More than a third of French people say they are dissatisfied with the quality of their sleep, according to surveys conducted by the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance and MGEN in March. The causes of bad nights are varied (stress, exposure to screens, nightmares, noise pollution), but there are reflexes to counteract the harmful effects of a less restorative night on the body. Among them is the famous sleep, which, according to its followers, allows you to recharge your batteries and replenish the fatigue accumulated during the previous shortened night. Really?
Minimal physical and mental recovery time
In fact, as Inserm neuroscience researcher and sleep specialist Armel Rancilak explains, sleep is a physiological and individual need, the benefits of which depend primarily on its duration. For example, the short sleep format, also called “flash” sleep and popularized by the artist Salvador Dali, lasts only a few seconds or minutes. We hold an object in our hand until it falls by accident while we sleep and wakes us up. The goal here is not to restore the body, but to energize itself to stimulate its creativity, notes the neurologist.
” data-script=”https://static.lefigaro.fr/widget-video/short-ttl/video/index.js” >
If you want to fight sleepiness and restore energy after a bad night, you should extend your sleep to 20 minutes. “Sufficient sleep in the middle of the day helps to reduce the sleep pressure that has accumulated during a bad night,” affirms the neuroscience researcher. During this time we will create a little slow wave sleep, the phase that should help the body recover better. “Thanks to this type of sleep, we will restore alertness, concentration and cognitive performance,” concludes Armel Rancilak.
Thanks to at least 20 minutes of sleep, we will restore alertness, concentration and cognitive performance.
Armelle Rancillac, neuroscience researcher at Inserm and sleep specialist
In the case of a significant sleep deficit, such as after a sleepless night or insomnia that will cut our sleep quota in half, the neurologist recommends (if possible) to sleep the equivalent of a full cycle, or 90 to 120 minutes. in order to reproduce a “mini night”. In practice, “during an hour to 1.5 hours of sleep, our body will produce slower wave sleep, which will repair tissues and produce hormones the body needs, such as growth hormone,” he explains. Another important stage of sleep called “paradoxical,” a period when the brain is better able to consolidate learning and regulate its emotions, will also be stimulated.
A habit of monitoring and adapting
Regardless of the duration of sleep, the golden rule is not to take it late in the day, otherwise it can have harmful effects the next night. “It’s ideal not to go to bed after 5 p.m. to give adenosine, the hormone responsible for sleep, enough time to recharge while we wait to wake up for the evening,” says Armel Rancilak.
To ensure the effectiveness of daytime naps, you should also check your energy levels after bedtime. If we always feel tired, it may be a sign that the sleep debt is not being paid off enough, the neurologist suggests, or that we are suffering from a real sleep disorder. In this case, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional. Especially since there are many studies highlighting lack of sleep as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, hypertension, overweight and, to a lesser extent, depression or anxiety.
Other reflexes are just as important as protecting sleep. Starting with waking up and bedtime. They should be regular, even on weekends, the neurology researcher reminds. During the day, it is also important to activate the sleep-wake rhythm synchronizers by exposing yourself to natural light as much as possible. A warned sleeper is a forearm.
Source: Le Figaro
