Sleep on your side, especially your left side.
Use pillows or a barrier behind your back.
Elevate the head of your bed by 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 inches).
Consult a sleep specialist if you experience loud snoring or breathing pauses.
2. Using sleeping pills: a dangerous trap
Many people turn to sleeping pills seeking rest, but certain drugs can drastically worsen nighttime breathing.
Benzodiazepines and hypnotics:
Depress the nervous system.
Prolong breathing pauses.
Reduce the brain’s ability to react to a lack of oxygen.
In people with sleep apnea or heart problems, this can be fatal. Furthermore, their prolonged use has been associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, cognitive decline, dementia, and falls during the night.
What to do
Avoid self-medication
Prioritize lifestyle changes over medication
Always consult a doctor to address the underlying cause of insomnia
3. Sleeping in an overly warm bedroom
For the body to enter deep sleep, the internal temperature must drop slightly. Sleeping in a warm environment forces the heart to work harder during the night.
This causes:
Increased heart rate
Light and fragmented sleep
Spries in blood pressure
Increased risk of arrhythmias
The heart never truly rests.
What to do
Keep the bedroom between 16 and 20 °C (61-68 °F)
Use ventilation or fans if there is no air conditioning
Choose cotton or linen bedding
Avoid synthetic materials
4. Eating a late and heavy dinner
A heavy dinner before bed keeps the body in “active mode” when it should be repairing itself.
This leads to:
Intense digestion during the night
Acid reflux and micro-arousals
High blood pressure
Increased nighttime cardiac workload
The heart doesn’t rest if the digestive system continues working at full capacity.
What to do:
Eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime
Choose light meals
Avoid fried foods, fats, and sugars at night
If you’re hungry, choose something very light
5. Chronic sleep deprivation
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