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During the wintertime, our alarm rings, we open our eyes and it is still dark outside. We do not feel getting out of our cozy blankets and heated rooms, start imagining about getting a little bit more sleep and eventually get late for work every other day. Sounds like something that happens to you every winter?
Over the long winter months, feeling tired and drowsy and finding it hard to stay energized seem to be regular hurdles in everyday routine for lots of us. Factors such as temperature and the amount of light we receive during the day in the winter season always play an important role.
Here’s why you sleep more during winter
The changing weather affects your outdoor and indoor activities over the day. It affects your sleeping habits as well. Your body processes are disrupted and even though you dream of bed all day, it might get very difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Some of us even change our sleeping positions to get a more cozy feel. Here are all the reasons why your everyday routine gets disturbed.
Less light exposure
As the days get shorter during wintertime, our desire for sleep grows. The lack of natural light in the winter suppresses the release of melatonin-the hormone that tells your body it’s time to slow down and settle for sleep-and, as a result, disrupts our internal systems. During the warmer months, as it gets darker during the end of the day your body produces more melatonin to say that it’s time to get ready for bed, but with the sun going down earlier at this time, that process starts earlier.
During most of the winter, it’s gloomy all day, so you won’t get the suppression of melatonin you would during warmer times and your body lacks the distinction between daytime and night time, leading to an increased desire to sleep and difficulty sleeping once you actually pass out. What’s more, the lack of light in the winter can lead to certain psychiatric disorders like seasonal depression.
You get too hot!
Because we are feeling cold, we tend to get it on with our room heaters and get the blanket that will get us maximum warmth. Here is where it goes wrong. What really ends up happening, however, is most people start playing with the thermostat, and too cold or too warm temperatures can disrupt your body’s natural sleeping process. Messing with the temperature of your house too much can get in the way of the process of body cooling down by 2-degree celsius when we get to sleep. Livpure’s all-weather comforters are the best solution for keeping the body temperature just right even in the winters.
Food and drink choices
During winters, most of us go for a warm bowl of the unhealthiest carbs or the fried foods, just because it makes you feel warm and cozy. These unhealthy meals cause heartburns and messes with your night sleep, especially when your meals are close to your bedtime. Winter weight also creeps up on you at this time. These meals not only makes your lethargic, it also makes you less motivated to get some exercise, along with the weather. Increasing weight can cause sleeping problems.
During wintertime, because of the gloominess, we are less motivated to workout and even go out of the house. We also increase our alcohol intake because of the festivities. All these are the reasons for not having a good sleep and in turn, feeling sleepy all day.
Why can we hibernate?
While there are a lot of living beings that can hibernate through the winters, we humans, who think of ourselves as the superior species, don’t have this special ability. Our lifestyles throughout evolution is a key factor in this. Humans originated and evolved in equatorial Africa, deep inside the tropics where there is a mostly constant food supply. That means we would not have needed to hibernate to escape harsh weather conditions.
Even though this is one of the factors, it is not the only one. Maybe just as importantly, humans are top predators that can tackle any prey much bigger than ourselves. We most probably never needed to hibernate to escape the threat of predators as well.
What can we do to curb the laziness?
So what can you do to avoid feeling sleepy and lazy during the day throughout the winter and improve your sleep habits? Working on these two factors - light and temperature - can make a massive difference and give you a night of better sleep and a better workday as well. Follow some simple slip tips like meditation and yoga, drinking warm milk or chamomile tea before bed, writing a journal entry, etc. for better sleep as well.
Do dark, cool, quiet changes
The bedroom should be dark, cool and quiet, with a light exposure contrasting as much as possible with outside light. Avoid screens with artificial light. Get the best sleeping accessories for your bedroom for the best sleep at night. At Livpure, you will find the right mattress for your body’s needs, colorful and luxurious Egyptian cotton bed sheets and amazing pillows for the perfect neck support. These changes will improve your night’s sleep and you will wake up feeling energized.
Go for a walk and avoid sleep
Going for a walk outside to get natural light every day to get some Vitamin D, even if it's rainy and foggy, can also help to maintain your energy levels and keep depression at bay. You can also try using a lightbox when you wake up to kick-start your circadian rhythm. As far as possible, it's also a good idea to maintain the same bedtime and wake-up time. Try to include some bedtime exercises and meditation in your routine as well.
Ditch the booze
In winter, one of the biggest threats to sleep is actually associated with the festive season and the fact that people go to bed at irregular times and consume more alcohol. Ditch the alcohol and you will feel that with a good daily routine and exercising, you are getting better sleep and a fresh morning wake up.
Wake up
Yes, it's time to wake up and energise yourself to prepare for the wintertime and all the festivities coming along with it. Follow these simple things to keep up with your healthy sleep habits and feel healthy and fresh, whatever weather it may come. Visit Livpure’s website for more sleep products to brighten up your bedroom and some more sleep tips as well!
