The changing seasons mean shorter and colder days en France. The transition from warm summer days to cold winter nights makes me look forward to winter traditions like le marché de Noël. However, being from la Floride, I’m always surprised with how the shorter days end up affecting le sommeil (sleep).

Image by Michael Carian on Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Le coucher du soleil (the sunset) in France can be after 22 heures (10 PM) en été (in Summer) and as early as 17 heures (5 PM) en hiver (in Winter). That is quite the change for someone used to a more tropical climate where sunrise and sunset remain mostly the same throughout the whole year.

Even with mon nouveau lit (my new bed) it can be hard to s’endormir (fall asleep) when it’s so light en été and so dark en hiver! Even without the difference in sunrises and sunsets the changing seasons make it hard to fall asleep no matter what time of year it is.

En été il fait trop chaud et en hiver il fait trop froid !
In Summer it’s too hot and in Winter it’s too cold!

Mes problèmes de sommeil (my sleep problems) made me curious about les berceuses françaises (French lullabies). After un peu de recherche (a little research), I found une berceuse that is easy to learn and will certainly help you s’endormir: Dodo, l’enfant do (Sleep, baby sleep).

The words dodo and do are familiar terms for sleep. They come from le verbe dormir (the verb to sleep).

Make sure you’ve already brushed your teeth and take a listen to la berceuse to see if it helps you s’endormir.

Voici la chanson avec les paroles : 

Dodo, l’enfant do,
L’enfant dormira bien vite
Dodo, l’enfant do,
L’enfant dormira bientôt

Sleep, baby sleep,
Baby will sleep real soon
Sleep, baby sleep,
Baby will sleep soon

If la berceuse doesn’t help and you’re still lying in bed struggling with l’insomnie (insomnia), then you can always try to compter les moutons (count sheep). If you make sure to compter en français, you’ll be sure to fall asleep and also be practicing your French!