Sleep: Is there an ideal time to go to bed?

Depending on age and genetics, we are not all equal in the face of Morpheus. Some suffer from insomnia at night, others drowsy during the day… In either case, questioning your sleep routine is the first step before finding peaceful nights. What if there was an ideal time to go to bed?

sleep cycles

When we sleep, our brains regenerate. This “reboot” allows our minds to rest and avoid satiety. A fundamental function. To fully understand how it works, you need to have a more accurate idea of ​​how our nights are distributed. The latter consist of 3 to 6 sleep cycles, each lasting an average of 90 minutes.

A cycle itself consists of an alternation of slow sleep (light and deep) and paradoxical sleep. These two phases each correspond to a different brain activity. During the first, the brain’s electrical activity slows down. On the other hand, paradoxical sleep is characterized by more intense brain activity accompanied by eye movements. Then we are almost awake. This last phase takes up 20% of our rest time.

age and genetics

Due to the development of the body and brain, as well as energy expenditure at each stage of life, age is undoubtedly the most important criterion for determining the amount of sleep needed. So the National Sleep Foundationdisplays the number of recommended rest hours for each age group:

  • Between birth and 3 months: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • from 4 to 11 months: 12 to 15 hours
  • from 1 to 2 years: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • from 3 to 5 years: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • from 6 to 13 years: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
  • 14 to 17 years: 8 to 10 hours
  • from 18 to 64 years: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
  • from 65 years: 7 to 8 hours

All you need to do is run the calculation based on your sunrise time.

But tempers Dr. Vanessa Slimani, psychiatrist and sleep doctor on the site Top healthbedtime also varies by genetics. “The ideal bedtime varies from person to person. There are more people in the morning and others in the evening. There are also those who are “in the middle” neither clear evening nor morning. This temperament, called chronotype, is determined by genetics.”

heart health

A UK study finally reveals that bedtime can affect heart health. Researchers tracked the lifestyles of more than 88,000 people to determine the optimal bedtime. Because, according to their work, falling asleep too early or too late can lead to a disruption of the biological clock with consequences for the proper functioning of the heart.

Therefore, to take care of your heart health, it is advisable not to go to bed too early and not too late. The best time is between 10am and 11pm. The study found that those who slipped under the duvet at midnight or even later had a 25% increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Sleep is therefore specific to everyone, but these few details can really help you find YOUR ideal timing!

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