Tips for falling asleep - healthy sleep for better performance and health

We can't concentrate, our performance continues to drop and the statement "I can't sleep" becomes an unpopular, permanent declaration. According to studies, around 80% of the working population currently state that they sleep too little or not well.1We often feel tired in the evening before going to bed, but are unable to sleep. There can be various reasons for problems falling asleep. We'll show you how you can finally sleep better again with a few simple tricks.

Tips for falling asleep

To fall asleep better, you don't have to resort to sleeping pills or count sheep. It is often enough to change your habits and develop good "sleep hygiene". Contrary to what the term might suggest, this has nothing to do with hygiene, but rather with developing "behaviours that promote restful sleep".2 In plain language: If you follow these rules, you will optimise your sleep.

Dark and cool - ideal room conditions for healthy sleep

The darkness and temperature of your bedroom play a major role in getting a good night's sleep. If it is too warm and too bright, you will have trouble falling asleep. A room temperature between 16°C and 18°C is ideal.3 The bedroom should also be as dark as possible - because only in the dark does your brain release the sleep hormone melatonin, which makes you tired and helps you fall asleep.4

Share your bed with your partner, not your smartphone - blue light as an important cause of problems falling asleep

Smartphones, laptops and co. emit so-called blue light, which stimulates our body and prompts us to stay awake.7 Alternatively, you can also invest your evening technology time in good old books for the sake of your sleep quality.

It's all in the rhythm - good sleep hygiene with fixed rituals and times

A key aspect of sleep hygiene is consistent bedtimes, which should also be adhered to at the weekend if possible. In addition, you should really only use your bed for sleeping in order to associate your bedroom as a place of rest. Watching TV, working and the like are just as counterproductive as staying in bed for long periods at the weekend.7

Food makes the night - a balanced diet to combat restless sleep

Just as a healthy diet can help you to maintain your performance throughout the day, better eating habits can also help with problems falling asleep. An overly full stomach makes it difficult to fall asleep.

No sport, no caffeine, no alcohol - at least not before falling asleep

Of course, it is important to exercise regularly. Only those who get enough exercise during the day are physically energised and can sleep well at night. However, it is important to note that 11 The same applies to alcohol: although a little "nightcap" is considered by many to help you fall asleep, the abolism of alcohol in the body at night leads to insomnia.12

The most important things in a nutshell: You should remember these tips for falling asleep

Healthy sleep stands and falls with good sleep hygiene. This includes:

  • a dark, well-ventilated bedroom with a room temperature between 16°C and 18°C
  • no technical devices such as smartphones, laptops or televisions before going to bed
  • use the bed only for sleeping
  • regular times for getting up and going to bed
  • no late, heavy meals
  • on balanced diet, especially magnesium intake
  • exercise sufficiently during the day and avoid heavy physical activity in the evening
  • avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening

Why is restful sleep important

Along with eating and drinking, sleep is one of our basic human needs. Fulfilling these basic needs is essential for our health and our physical and mental well-being.13 Healthy sleep not only has benefits for our health, but also promotes our performance. This idea is particularly important in 14

Healthy sleep boosts your immune system

Literally, you can boost your immune system while you sleep. With good sleep hygiene, your melatonin balance is also right, which among other things activates your immune system.15 [<[sup>21 Studies even suggest a link between lack of sleep and depression22 On the other hand, those who have had a good night's sleep are more emotionally balanced and less susceptible to stress.27

Healthy sleep vs. poor sleep: benefits and risks summarised

Benefits of healthy sleep: risks of sleep deprivation and poor sleep

healthy sleep boosts your immune system: too little sleep weakens your immune system

healthy sleep helps to burn fat : too little sleep leads to weight gain and increases the risk of obesity and overweight

healthy sleep makes you emotionally balanced and stress-resistant : too little sleep makes you moody, sensitive and susceptible to stress; increases the risk of depression

healthy sleep increases mental and physical performance : too little sleep reduces performance and inhibits memory

too little sleep increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack and certain cancers

Adenosine and melatonin as endogenous sleep triggers

Why do we sleep?" seems like a trivial question at first, to which one would probably reflexively answer something like "because we have to". But what exactly happens in our body and brain when we slip into the realm of dreams?

Hormones make it possible - adenosine and melatonin to fall asleep

Like so many processes in our body, falling asleep is also triggered by hormones. The sleep hormone melatonin is particularly important here. The release of melatonin is daylight-dependent and is controlled by the so-called circadian rhythm (= sleep-wake rhythm). As soon as it gets dark, our body releases melatonin and signals that it is time to go to sleep28 When we colloquially refer to our "inner clock", this is not so wrong.

Another endogenous fatigue inducer is adenosine. Unlike melatonin, which is produced in the pineal gland, adenosine is produced in our body cells when a lot of energy is consumed. With continuous activity, the concentration of adenosine in our body increases during the day. By blocking the transmission of stimulating substances such as noradrenaline to the brain, it signals a lack of energy to our body and thus fatigue. Adenosine is the reason why our urge to sleep is usually greatest in the evening.29

Regenerate, detoxify, tidy up - how healthy sleep gets the body and brain in shape overnight

Contrary to what many people think, our brain is anything but inactive at night. During the various sleep phases, our brains both tidy up and process what we have experienced during the day. Sleep plays a key role in processing, absorbing and storing information in particular. You should therefore make sure you get sufficient and restful sleep, especially in times when you are learning a lot (new things).

During the deep sleep phase in particular, the so-called glymphatic system works at full speed to "declutter" your brain" and remove neurotoxic substances so that you can think clearly again in the morning.30 At the same time, regeneration and detoxification processes also take place in your body: Cells are renewed and repaired and the release of growth hormones contributes to muscle building and bone maintenance.31

Short and sweet: sleep hormones and processes at a glance

Sleep hormones and their functions

Melatonin: The sleep hormone is released at night in line with our circadian rhythm and signals to our body that it is time for bed

Adenosine: Is produced in body cells when energy consumption is high and signals to the body that it is tired after a lot of activity

Regeneration processes during sleep

Glymphatic system cleanses and detoxifies your brain during deep sleep

Brain processes emotions, information and what you experienced during the day

Cells in the body are renewed

Growth hormones make children and adolescents grow overnight & promote muscle development and bone maintenance in adults

What constitutes healthy sleep

After talking so much about tips for falling asleep and the benefits of restful sleep, the question naturally arises as to what constitutes healthy sleep in the first place. Is it the healthy sleeping position, the intensity of REM sleep or the duration of sleep?

6, 7 or 8 hours - what is the optimal sleep duration?

If there is an optimal sleep duration, according to scientists, this is between seven and eight hours per night for adults. It is important to note that these values refer to the actual sleep duration - not the time we spend in bed. This should be correspondingly longer: Around 7.5 to 8.5 hours, depending on how quickly you fall asleep. You also can't "hack" sleep. "Sleeping faster" does not work.

If we sleep less than seven hours on a permanent basis, not only does physical and mental regeneration suffer,32 but various health risks also increase (see point 2).33 However, individual sleep duration varies greatly depending on age,34 occupation, exercise and physical condition.35 Researchers are not yet able to say whether too much sleep is bad for us in the long term.36

Quality or quantity? What is crucial for restful sleep?

Although duration is an important factor, when it comes to healthy sleep, it's not just a case of "it's the quantity that counts". The duration of sleep is the first and most crucial point. According to experts, sleep quality and regularity also play a decisive role in recovery value and physical well-being.37 So you can't shorten your sleep, but you can improve its quality.

You can determine the quality of your sleep by asking yourself, for example: Do you sleep through the night or do you wake up often? Do you take a long time to fall asleep?38 If you get out of bed in the morning, stretch and think: "I slept well today", this is certainly a good indicator.

What types of sleep are there and what is polyphasic sleep?

Our preferences regarding bedtimes are just as individual as the optimal duration of sleep. In sleep research, a distinction is made between three sleep types, also known scientifically as chronotypes: Morning type ("lark"), evening type ("owl") and mixed types. Your personal sleep rhythm depends on genetic, psychological and socio-cultural factors. [<[sup>39For a restful sleep, you should respect your chronotype. You can test your sleep type here. Incidentally, experts advise against trying to outsmart your own sleep rhythm in order to sleep more time-efficiently. This also applies to polyphasic sleep, where you spread out your sleep phases in smaller chunks throughout the day.[<[sup>40

The four sleep phases

Of the four sleep phases that our body goes through every night, the REM phase is probably the best known. During the Rapid Eye Movement, our body temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate increase. Our blood pressure also increases so that our body functions almost as if we were awake, despite the resting phase. During this phase of dreaming, our brain processes everything we have experienced during the day and thus contributes significantly to our mental health and balance.41

While the REM phase is similar to the waking state in terms of physical activity, our body shuts down during the three non-REM phases (falling asleep phase, light sleep phase and deep sleep phase). The regeneration and detoxification of the body and brain, which is important for our health and performance, takes place in the deep sleep phase. During healthy sleep, we switch between the REM and deep sleep phases every 90 minutes after initially passing through the falling asleep and light sleep phases.42 [<[sup>43

Side sleeping position, stomach or back? What is a healthy sleeping position?

If you suffer from problems falling asleep or restless sleep, you often change your sleeping position during the night. Sometimes on the side, sometimes on the stomach, sometimes on the back and again from the front. But which sleeping position is best for healthy sleep? The answer is: it depends. While the back position is generally recommended as a healthy sleeping position for back, neck and shoulder problems, the side position is ideal for cleansing the brain at night. This is mainly due to the fact that nerves and blood vessels in the neck are not trapped in this position and toxins can therefore be removed more easily.44

Conclusion

Healthy, restful sleep is essential for health and performance: people who sleep well live healthier lives and are more productive. The key to falling asleep quickly is good sleep hygiene: regular bedtimes, avoiding blue light, caffeine and alcohol in the evening, sufficient exercise during the day and a balanced diet promote healthy sleep.

FAQs: Our answers to the most frequently asked questions about healthy sleep
How can you fall asleep quickly?

To ensure that falling asleep at night is quick and easy, you should adopt good sleep hygiene. This includes:

  • going to bed at fixed times
  • not using any technical devices such as smartphones or laptops before going to bed
  • making sure that your bedroom is well ventilated, cool and dark
  • establishing fixed rituals before going to sleep, such as reading or listening to music
  • Positive start to the day
  • First things first
  • Maximum control over your time
  • Stress reduction
  • Increased productivity & ability to concentrate
  • Improved physical & mental health
How much sleep do I need?

For adults, a sleep duration of between seven and eight hours per night is considered optimal. However, the ideal sleep duration can be influenced by individual factors and may be shorter or longer. It's best to listen to your body when it comes to finding the best sleep duration for you personally. But be careful! Sleep duration is about the time you actually sleep effectively - not how long you are in bed.
What to do if you can't fall asleep?

If you have problems falling asleep, you can try the following sleeping tips:

  • Exercise enough during the day - avoid it in the evening
  • Develop a fixed sleep routine with set bedtimes and evening rituals
  • Really only use your bed for sleeping
  • In the evening, do not consume any caffeine- or alcohol-containing drinks
  • . or alcoholic drinks in the evening
  • don't use your smartphone or watch TV before going to bed
  • eat lightly and sparingly in the evening
  • add 30-60 minutes to your morning routine
  • but keep it regular
  • , but stick to it regularly
  • Morning rituals can also be alternated (1-2 per day)
What is sleep?

Scientists are still arguing about how exactly sleep should be defined. One approach is to view sleep as astate of reduced physical activity, in which one is typically in a lying position and in which the body reacts to a lesser extent to external stimuli.[<[sup>45

  • Regular sleep rhythm
  • Consider natural sleep type
  • Use sleep phase alarm clocks
  • Set only one alarm clock (no snoozing)
Why is good sleep important?

Good sleep is not only important for goodhealth, but also for increasedperformance. When you sleep well, you are more productive, can concentrate better and are less susceptible to stress. Good sleep also makes you more balanced

.
What constitutes healthy sleep?

Healthy, restful sleep is good for your body and allows it to regenerate. The criteria for healthy sleep include:

  • an appropriate sleep duration of between seven and eight hours
  • a healthy sleeping position that avoids tension
  • full deep sleep and REM phases
  • through sleep
  • respecting your personal sleep rhythm.
How can I improve my sleep quality?

There are several things you can do to make your sleep more restful:

  • make sure you move around enough during the day so that you are really tired in the evening and sleep well
  • make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool
  • try to clear your head before going to sleep
  • respect your body's natural sleep rhythm
  • find your optimal sleeping position
What happens in our body during sleep?

Contrary to what has long been assumed, our body is extremely active during sleep. Depending on the sleep phase, our vital functions are shut down. However, this only happens so that our body can concentrate fully on theregeneration of our cells and theremoval of toxins.
What happens in our brain during sleep?

Just like our body, the brain also uses the sleep phase to do a little housecleaning. During the deep sleep phase, the glymphatic systemcleans and detoxifies your brain. During the REM phase, on the other hand, your brain runs at full cognitive speed to process everything you have experienced during the day. This also plays a crucial role inlearning and memory processes.
Is 6 hours of sleep too little?

The individual need for sleep varies from person to person, but most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night for optimum health and performance. Very few people can manage on 6 hours or less on a permanent basis. Anyone who sleeps too little over a long period of time risks concentration problems, weakened immune defences, hormonal disorders and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

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