Dragging your routine during the day in winter? Then you are not alone! According to the researcher Dr Raj Dasgupta, who is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California, at least a third of American adults have reported they sleep more in winter.
To add more to this he said, “Sleep needs for most adults are somewhere between (seven to nine) hours per night, and that is consistent no matter how cold or dark it gets outside,” and “However, it is common to feel like you are sleeping more during the winter due to the fact that we lose an hour of daylight when we enter standard time, which is associated with the early onset of darkness,” as per CNN.
Are our seasonality needs at par with animals that also undergo hibernation?
According to a study held on 188 patients, which was published in February 2023- they underwent sleep studies at St Hedwig Hospital in Berlin, where they slept about an hour longer in winter than they did in summer.
Although the study was not considered significant statistically by the researchers however, among the participants rapid eye movement, or REM was reported during sleep in winter.
Know more about REM
The REM phase of sleep is considered the sweet spot of sleep cycles. It is characterized by faster heart beating, breathing, and more dreaming than in other stages.
Dasgupta said, “It’s an essential stage of sleep that helps with memory, concentration, mood regulation, and immune function,” CNN reported.
Reasons for the desire for more sleep-in winter
Know the science behind it and the adjustments you should make to accommodate these changes as per the experts.
Different light in winters – As per Dasgupta, “Our bodies receive cues from the sun when it comes to our circadian rhythm, meaning that when it is bright outside, we tend to be active, but when the sun goes down, you may tend to feel tired.”
He added further, “The decrease in sunlight causes an increase in melatonin, a hormone made in the body that regulates sleep-wake cycles.”
Therefore, with the earlier production of melatonin in winter, Dr Carleara Weiss, a research assistant professor in the Center for Nursing Research at the University of Buffalo said, “It would be natural to assume that a healthy person also would need more sleep during the winter,” CNN reported.
Dr. Joshua Tal, a New York City-based clinical psychologist specializing in sleep issues also mentioned light affects not only sleep quantity but also sleep quality.
Tal added, “REM sleep is highly affected by light and darkness, so when during the winter months we have less light, the body is going to basically overcompensate by giving more REM sleep.”
Another reason for needing more sleep during winter also be due to “social jet lag,” said the experts. It means the fun and late nights we had during summer, maybe the reason for experiencing trouble falling asleep in winter or feeling the need body to overcompensate that with more sleep during winter.
Tal said, “Your body is not used to this earlier time, and it’s hard to fall asleep,” and “Your clock is delayed.”
One more reason accounted by the experts for behavioral change is “holiday stress, indulgence in a wide variety of foods and treats, alcohol intake and skipping out on workouts,” CNN reported.
How to make adjustments to deal with seasonal changes?
According to Weiss, hibernation is not a necessity for humans and moreover, they can’t afford it due to occupational and social obligations.
She added, “But we can make adjustments to perform in a better way, to rest in a better way during winter.”
The shifting of lights seasonally affects our circadian rhythms, therefore, sleeping a little more might help us to be more alert for a schedule requiring us to be outside while it’s dark, said Tal.
In other words, changing work or school start times later would also be useful since only having to be out in the daytime would make people feel more alert, CNN reported.
According to Weiss, “To help our bodies make this transition from sleep to waking, it’s important to have light exposure in the morning during winter months,” and “Along with that, it’s important to keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up times.”
According to experts, the primary treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), another reason for wintertime more sleep, is to try light therapy in case our schedule doesn’t allow us exposure to natural light before work.
This treatment includes exposing yourself to a lightbox with a 10,000 lux minimum for at least 30 minutes. (Lux is a unit of measurement for light level intensity,) CNN reported.
According to Dr. Jennifer Martin, a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and immediate past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, “Making sure that your sleeping environment is conducive to sleep is important.” And, “Reach out to either a trusted health care professional or directly to a mental health professional if you notice that you’re struggling with seasonal depression.”