7 hours is the average sleep time of the French today. In the 80's, French people slept more than 8 hours! But it seems that the new means of communication (screens more and more present, Internet, social networks...) have had a negative influence on the duration of our sleep.
How long should we sleep?
The optimal sleep duration is the one that allows us to wake up in good shape and to stay that way throughout the day. But we are all different and our sleep needs vary from one individual to another, so are you a groundhog or a short sleeper?
For most of us, a night of 7 to 8 hours is ideal to be rested and have a good day, but for some, 4 or 5 hours are enough while others need 9 or 10 hours to be operational!
Sleep needs are partly determined by heredity, there are families of heavy sleepers and families that only need a few hours to recover.
Define your personalized sleep needs
To know your real sleep needs, the best thing to do is to do a test during your vacations: go to bed as soon as you are tired and don't set an alarm clock. After a few days, you will be able to determine your daily sleep needs.
Unfortunately, these needs are not always in line with our professional and personal life. Certain constraints can lead us to reduce this duration by forcing us to go to bed later or to get up earlier... In this case a little nap after breakfast can be particularly beneficial!
As far as preparing for sleep is concerned, try to put everything on your side by trying to create a calm environment after dinner, put on comfortable pajamas, drink a soothing herbal tea, spray your bedroom with a pillow mist which will make it easier to fall asleep and take full advantage of your night's sleep even if it is short.
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