Contrary to popular belief, the bedtime ritual is not just for babies or children. Adults can also benefit. The implementation of small "tricks" or habits will allow many to fall asleep quickly and easily.

Ideally, we should follow our biological rhythms since our body is programmed to go into sleep mode at certain times, especially when it is dark. We can imagine that this is impossible for us. Indeed, no one plans to go to bed at 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. when the winter days are short and the night falls early. You can remedy this by going to bed and getting up at about the same time every day. This will allow your pituitary gland to memorize its own biological clock. It is indeed this endocrine gland that oversees all the cyclical and "numerical" or temporal programming of your body. Thus, the schedules of hormonal secretions and neurotransmitters responsible for falling asleep and sleeping are memorized.

Once you've found your rhythm, you'll need to set up a ritual or lifestyle/hygiene routine that will signal to your body that it's time to get ready for sleep. If for children it is brushing their teeth, telling a little story or lighting a little night light, it is obvious that it is rare to tell a story to put an adult to sleep.

If brushing your teeth remains, as an adult you can add a peaceful moment of reading, listening to relaxing music accompanied by deep and conscious breathing or a meditation or visualization session or why not a short 15-minute walk in the open air. Self-massage techniques, keeping a notebook to collect thoughts and feelings of the day or taking a warm bath can also be effective in improving sleep. If there are 2 of you, it is obvious that hugs and massages are also welcome.

Some may wish to drink a tea of linden, orange blossom, chamomile or verbena. This peaceful sequence can be accompanied by the olfaction or application of essential oils or the spraying of a pillow mist.

Essential oils recommended to help you fall asleep or to soothe stress or anxiety

• True lavender essential oilCan be diffused, breathed in, diluted in a vegetable oil and used in massage, applied a few drops on the wrists or in the neck or on the pillow. It can also be added to bath water or taken as an herbal tea. With a pleasant smell, it calms and acts as an anxiolytic and as a light sleeping pill. It participates in relaxation and can be combined with basil and chamomile.
• Tangerine essential oil: can be diffused, sprayed into a room, breathed in, applied a few drops to the wrists or back of the neck or on the pillow, added to bath water or vegetable oil and used for massage. It is relaxing, calming and sedative. Slightly hypnotic, it induces sleep. Its smell is particularly pleasant.
• Sweet orange essential oil: the ways to use it are identical to the previous one. Calming and sedative, sweet orange acts on nervousness, anxiety and agitation.
• Little Bitter Grain Essential Oil: same uses as the previous 2. This relaxing, sedative, even antidepressant oil brings calm, relaxation and harmony because of its very appreciated smell.
• Roman chamomile essential oil: can be diffused, breathed in, or applied (a few drops on the wrists or back of the neck). It calms anxiety and reassures.
• Tropical Basil Essential Oil: can be diffused, breathed in or diluted in a vegetable oil and used for massage. It is useful for anxieties or nervous insomnia.
• Shell marjoram or garden marjoram essential oil: can be diffused, sprayed into a room, breathed in or added to bath water. Soothing, it avoids conflicts, reduces stress, anxiety and pessimism. It helps to regain calm after a hectic day or after disturbing emotional events.

All diffusions should be done 20 minutes before occupying the room and never during sleep itself.

However, it is important to note that activities related to the sleep ritual should be calm and soothing. This is obviously not a good time to race against the clock, to put stress on yourself or to mobilize attention.

Is it necessary to recall the basics?

It is imperative to sleep in a quiet environment. The room must be well blacked out so that it is dark. It is strongly recommended to keep away all sources of electromagnetic pollution: screens, tablets, computers, cell phones, radio alarm clocks and baby monitors.

Good night...