For good sleep, is it better to go to bed or get up at the same time ?

For good sleep, is it better to go to bed or get up at the same time ?

For quality sleep, we have all understood that we must respect regular schedules. But what does that mean ? What is the most important time, getting up or going to bed ?

Here is what a sleep specialist, Professor Pierre Philip, head of the sleep medicine department at Bordeaux University Hospital, thinks: "C< em>’is the period of getting up which is the most important, because it’it is this which makes it possible to calculate the "ideal sleeping pressure" to promote good sleep and, ideally, avoid nocturnal awakenings".

Ideal sleep pressure, also known as “homeostatic pressure,” regulates the transition from wakefulness to sleep. It depends on the time elapsed since the last awakening until bedtime. Sleep pressure therefore depends on the length of our day, that is to say the duration of wakefulness, and not – as we tend to believe – the level of activity, even if physical activity is essential for falling asleep well.

Obviously, social factors play a crucial role. Fishermen and bakers, for example, do not adopt the same sleep schedule as waiters, nurses or truck drivers who work at night. It is the biological clock, regulated according to the genes of each individual, which determines whether they are more of a morning person or an evening person.

How to calculate your waking up and going to bed times ?

For an adult aged 25 to 75, "the starting point is his "social" (to be ready for work, manage children, etc.), the most acceptable depending on one's activities, explains Professor Pierre Philip. Then, simply add 17 hours to this waking time to obtain the time corresponding to good sleep pressure and an average suitable bedtime."

Example: the alarm ringing at 6:30 a.m. gives an optimal bedtime around 11-11:30 p.m., maximum. Going to bed later leads to accumulating sleep debt. Conversely, by going to bed much earlier, we risk counting sheep for a long time to get to sleep, or even experiencing nocturnal awakenings linked to too low sleep pressure.

Finally, as sleep needs decrease with age, seniors tend to become more early morning people. Therefore, it is advisable not to hesitate to get up earlier and add 18 hours to determine the ideal bedtime. Older people often tend to go to bed too early, which is a mistake because it can lead to waking up at night.

Bedtime does not count towards restful sleep

What matters most for the restorative quality of sleep is not so much the time at which we go to bed as the composition of the different sleep stages. At the start of the night (before 2 a.m.), sleep is mainly characterized by phases of deep slow-wave sleep, essential for optimal brain functioning (consolidation of learning achieved during the day) and restoration of wakefulness (to avoid daytime sleepiness the next day). A sleep cycle lasting approximately 90 minutes, and the first two night cycles being the richest in deep slow-wave sleep, it is imperative that the first three hours of sleep take place in calm conditions, with a rather cool ambient temperature and without stimulation. bright.

Kanopée, the application that helps you decipher your sleep

For better sleep hygiene, the University of Bordeaux and the CNRS have launched a virtual companion application: Kanopée, which deciphers your sleep, and offers individualized advice for better sleep.

For individuals whose sleep problems are mild or even moderate, the application helps implement a therapeutic intervention to improve sleep. For more severe conditions, and in the event that the situation has not improved after the 17 days of support offered by the application, Kanopée allows the user to get in touch with a Sleep Center and obtain an appointment with health professionals.

Available on IOS and Android

The Instagram account @pr.philip provides practical information on sleep.