In our current society, it’s very normal to be busy all the time, but if you don’t wind down until you fall asleep, it’s already too late, says Talia Lambert, sleep coach and co-founder of the Saraja Sleep Course. “The quality of your sleep has to do with your behavior during the day. So you should actually go to bed relaxed.”

Lambert says it’s important to reduce stress during the day in between. “If you work all day and don’t take breaks, you create tremendous stress, so that you’re still rolling in your bed at night. Try to include moments during the day when you can kick back, for example, taking a short walk, being outside, or exercising.” Meditation exercise.

In short: try to build in moments of relaxation after your workout. “We can often only focus for 50 minutes. I hear regularly from people who work in health care, for example, that they really can’t take a break that easily. Then see if there are chances of you being more Being aware in the moment, going for coffee, or doing a breathing exercise on the toilet. If you bring more rest to your body during the day, you will benefit from it at night.”

In her practice, Lambert meets many people who set high standards for themselves. Numerous studies show that people who are perfectionists can also often suffer from sleep problems. This doesn’t have to be the case for everyone, but they are often perfectionists and try to keep all the balls in the air. Your brain cannot function optimally at a high level all day long.”

By checking your mail late at night, you take on stress, says Lambert. “You fall asleep poorly, wake up early and can dream intensely. Instead, try to be yourself and set standards a little less high. Mistakes are allowed. You’d be surprised how much this affects your sleep at night.”

What does it help? If you worry a lot, keeping a worry diary can help. “Once you write it down, it’s best to let go and turn your attention to something else. You can also play music while you sleep, do a body scan or diaphragmatic breathing.” With a body scan, you are supposed to pay attention to all parts of the body. By mentally scanning yourself from your feet to your head, it is possible to remove stress or discomfort.

It is known that alcohol does not have a positive effect on your sleep. It is also worth taking a closer look at your diet. Correct Molecular Sleep Coach Keanu Chen: “Our biological clock regulates all kinds of processes in the body: the feeling of hunger, body temperature, sleep-wake cycle. Regularity contributes to a well-adjusted biological clock. This way, your body knows better in the evening when it needs to release the sleep hormone melatonin “.

Chen stresses that we should not underestimate the connection between sleep and nutrition. Nutrition affects the production of hormones. Melatonin is produced from serotonin, 90 percent of which is produced in the intestines. Your gut health says a lot about whether you’re stressed or relaxed. Do you have an unhealthy intestinal flora? Hence it can also be difficult to produce melatonin in your body.”

Do you take melatonin yourself? Stay away from melatonin pills and sleeping potions, cautions sleep coach Lambert. “These are often less innocent than you think. It is important to find out what is causing the lack of sleep. Always check with your doctor before starting sleep medication.”