There are many preconceived ideas about sleep. Some are true, others are more questionable. Knowing that we spend about a third of our life sleeping, it may be interesting to spend 3 minutes deciphering these expressions that we have heard many times in our childhood, and not only...
1. Hours of sleep before midnight count double
This expression is actually an approximation. It is true that the first hours of sleep provide more restorative rest than the last. However, your sleep is not more restorative before or after midnight, everything will depend on your bedtime and wake-up time, your sleep time, and your sleep rhythm. So, if you sleep for 8 hours, it doesn't matter if you start sleeping at 10 p.m. or 2 a.m., you will be just as rested, as long as you respect a regular sleep rhythm.
2. You should sleep 8 hours a night
This statement is an average, which is applicable to adults. But it is not true for everyone, since the amount of sleep you need depends first on your age, then on your genetics which is directly linked to the quality of your sleep — lighter or restorative. Thus, 6 hours of sleep per night is enough for short sleepers, while others need 9 hours of sleep to feel at their best.
3. You should not wake a sleepwalker or he will die.
Don't worry: if you wake a sleepwalker, he will survive. Ideally, it is best to try to get him back to his bed without waking him. Otherwise, if he wakes up outside his bed, he may be disoriented and a little shocked. Indeed, sleepwalking takes place during the deep sleep phase, and the brain would not make the connection between the place of sleeping and waking.
4. We sleep better with the headboard facing north
This idea originates from the practice of Feng Shui. Sleeping with your head facing North would allow you to better receive good vibes. However, this fairly widespread idea has not yet been scientifically proven or statistically studied. No need to change the position of your bed, but remember to turn your mattress regularly.
5. Alcohol helps you sleep
Alcohol helps you fall asleep, that's true, but it doesn't help you sleep. In fact, after drinking, your sleep is not restorative and shorter than usual. Even if alcohol helps shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, you will have a very bad sleep.
In addition, if you drink alcohol regularly before going to sleep, your brain will eventually get used to it, and the effects of insomnia will get worse. If you have to choose, we recommend drinking herbal tea instead, which in addition to helping you fall asleep, will have other benefits for your health.
6. We sleep less well on full moon nights
It is scientifically proven. Researchers wanting to compare the sleep cycles of people of different ages and sexes took advantage of their study to compare their results to lunar cycles. This is how they discovered that on full moon nights, individuals fall asleep less quickly, have a less deep sleep and produce less of the sun's hormones, or melatonin. The subjects studied were not influenced by the Moon's radiation since they slept in complete darkness. The link between the Moon's cycle and the sleep cycle remains to be discovered. The current hypothesis is that the human biological clock remembers that of our ancestors, which itself would have been set to the lunar cycle.
7. Counting sheep to fall asleep
This works best for waking up. This exercise, which is supposed to help you fall asleep by imagining and counting sheep jumping over their fence, actually does nothing to help you fall asleep. In fact, you will force your mind to stay focused and attentive, which will cause brain activity and therefore keep you awake. Instead, it is better to relax and unwind, which you can do with breathing and relaxation exercises, or simply by letting your mind wander.
8. He who sleeps, dines
Often misunderstood, this expression is not entirely true. Originally, this expression popularized by innkeepers meant that the traveler wishing to sleep at the inn should also dine there. Nowadays, this expression means that the one who sleeps forgets his hunger. However, not having dinner before going to bed is a bad idea since your body and brain need reserves to last until morning. In addition, the feeling of hunger could cause light sleep and wake you up during the night. However, you should space out the time of dinner, not too copious, with bedtime so that your digestion is well finished. Otherwise, you risk having more trouble falling asleep.
9. The early bird catches the worm
This expression is neither true nor false. At the time, it meant that people who got up at dawn had an advantage over others. Indeed, before the advent of electricity, getting up early allowed you to have the longest possible working day during the hours when the sun was up, since without light it was not possible to work late.
With the advent of electricity, this expression should no longer be relevant. However, traditional working hours, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., favor so-called “morning people.” This expression is therefore false for “evening people” who will have more difficulty adapting to the working hours of our society.
Nowadays, the expression is applied more in the sense that one who wants to achieve his ambitions must start working on them as early as possible, no matter what time of day it is.
10. Night brings counsel
The benefits of delaying action are not to be proven, but what about the night? A sleep cycle is divided into several stages including slow-wave sleep, from light to deep, and REM sleep, which is the last stage of a sleep cycle. Studies have shown that during this stage of sleep, many people find solutions to their problems, especially if their REM sleep phase is of good quality. It also helps to better control negative thoughts and wake up in a better mood. In conclusion, the night really brings advice.
