How does sophrology help you sleep?

Before we declare that we have trouble sleeping, it’s important to know how we function.

When it comes to sleep, each individual has different needs. Some people need just a few hours to recharge their batteries, while others need 9 hours of sleep to feel refreshed!

When it comes to falling asleep, everyone has their own differences. Stress, personal or professional annoyances, or poor lifestyle habits (overeating, checking e-mail in the evening, etc.) sometimes prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. As a result, we may experience insomnia on a more or less regular basis, falling asleep longer than normal, or waking up early and frequently.

Sophrology, combining relaxation techniques and breathing exercises, can help us to let go and relax deeply before bedtime.
To help us experiment with sophrology, sophrologist Corinne Bontemps gives us a few tips and invites us to relax with a practical exercise.

How do you turn your mind off?

When we’ve had a hard day, it’s sometimes difficult to let go and forget our daily worries at bedtime.

The aim of sophrology in this case is to calm our minds by mentally chasing away our past worries and tomorrow’s concerns, by returning to the present moment, to what’s happening here and now.

How does sophrology affect our sleep?

More specifically, sophrology for sleep will enable us to:

– Exchange our thoughts for bodily sensations, by listening more to our bodies and less to our minds.

– Make room in our brains for sleep, both physically and mentally, and signal to our bodies that we’re ready to fall asleep.

– By freeing ourselves from our expectations of sleep and letting go of our control over it, because the more we try to control it, the more it escapes us. Excessive expectations create a kind of focus, which produces the opposite effect to the one we’re looking for.

– By creating a kind of ritual, both mental and physical, that frees us from tension and soothes both body and mind.

Getting back to sleep with sophrology: practice takes all!

To help you fall asleep more easily, sophrologist Corinne Bontemps invites you to try this practical exercise to help you let go and become more aware of your body, so you can fall asleep more easily.

1. Sitting in a relaxed posture at the back of the chair, close your eyes. Become aware of your presence in the chair, of the weight and volume of your body, and also of any preoccupations and tensions you can allow yourself to release now, in the present moment.
2. To do this, start by loosening your jaw, relaxing all your facial muscles, letting your shoulders go, your arms by your sides, and loosening your wrists by making small rotations.
3. Relax your back, make sure your legs aren’t too tense, and unlock your knees to give yourself more flexibility and freedom.
4. Place your hands on your belly and observe your breathing. Breathe quietly for a few moments, without trying to change your rhythm. Then inhale, inflating your belly like a balloon, and contract it as you exhale.
5. Gradually allow your breathing to become calmer and more relaxed, while lengthening your exhalation time. Your breathing becomes calmer, more natural and abdominal.
6. Then release all your tension on each exhalation. Stay connected to your body sensations, as your muscles relax and your skin softens… your body becomes heavier and heavier, preparing for a good night’s sleep.

The aim of this exercise is to put your mind in the off position, to deposit all your worries and questions in a virtual basket. Realize that night is the best time to take advice, and that a good night’s sleep will help you find solutions to your worries.

Savor the fact that your sleep will give you all the energy you need for the day ahead. Relax your body and mind, and trust your body!

Interview with Corinne Bontemps, Health Prevention Consultant & Sophrologist