Do the French Really Sleep Better?

ACCORDING TO A recent survey, the answer is Yes! The survey indicated that the French sleep an average of nearly 9 hours per night (insert joke here), quite a bit more than the average American. Mireille Guiliano (you may remember her from French Women Don't Get Fat) has recently written about the topic for an on-line journal and has created a list titled: 10 Ways to Sleep Like a French Woman. Her theory -- backed by several medical publications -- is that it is sleep (not so much wine!) that most heavily contributes to the higher than average life expectancy of French women.

So how can you sleep like a French woman? Mireille Guiliano explains:

1. Move, move, move during the day.
2. Stay away from stimulants such as coffee, nicotine or alcohol.
3. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
4. Reserve the bedroom for sleeping only. (Get the TV out of the bedroom! And the desk!)
5. Herbal teas work magic.
6. Turn off the lights earlier; your body needs to wind down.
7. Turn off computers and TVs at least 30 minutes (1 hour is better) before bed; your brain needs to wind down
8. If you can't get to sleep in 30 minutes, get up and read a book.
9. No big meals right before bed.
10. Create an environment that is conducive to sleep (dark, well ventilated, etc.)

If you'd like a more detailed description of each number on the list you can find it here.

CJS