Jun 7

Jun 7 Can humans hibernate? Sleeping through the winter months

Hands up if you’ve been struggling to get out of bed recently?

We’re sure that if there were statistics on the number of alarm snoozes, we would see a drastic rise in the winter months! So why do we feel the need to sleep more during winter? Is science sure we aren't meant to hibernate?

Welcome to the dark side...

For some of us during winter, it’s dark when we leave for work and it’s dark when we get home.

Reduced hours of light have much to do with our increased desire for shut-eye. Our circadian rhythm is highly affected by light. Light encourages our brains to signal the body for wakefulness, and darkness does the opposite. As light diminishes, our body releases hormones (such as melatonin) that bring upon feelings of sleepiness.

Not only are our hours of light reduced in winter, but the intensity of light available to us reduces overall as well. It’s important to note, the “light” we are exposed to in our offices - is very different from the light we are exposed to outside - even on a grey or rainy day.

Hello, sunshine?

The sun is our primary source of vitamin D, so reduced light comes package and parcel with low intake and levels of vitamin D. We all know the benefits of vitamin D in relation to bone health and immunity, but what does it have to do with sleep?

Fatigue is one of the key symptoms of vitamin D deficiency so that darkness mentioned above now has two strikes as a cause for our sleepiness. This relationship is likely attributed to vitamin D’s various roles in immune regulation and the overall function of our nervous system - very important in relation to fatigue.

Not only that - but research also suggests that low vitamin D and the associated fatigue correlates with poor sleep quality, making it a double edged sword. And I’m sure we don’t have to tell you how poor sleep affects your energy levels... We’re all somewhat familiar with wanting to get back into bed as soon as you get out of it! So, less sunshine = Low Vitamin D = Fatigue = Poor sleep quality = Tiredness compounded = More snoozes... You get the idea. It’s a lose-lose situation!

Carb loading... Minus the exercise to load for

Now this is one I'm sure we can all relate to. There’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of pasta on a cold winter night! We love carbohydrates as comfort food and naturally, our meals do get a little “heavier” at this time of year. Meals high in processed carbohydrates lead to spikes and drops in blood glucose levels, and with this comes the subsequent dip in energy levels… The dip that makes you want to curl up on the couch and switch on the TV! Heavy meals, particularly close to bedtime, can also lead to altered sleep patterns.

And then there’s the other side of the coin, our exercise regime. In comparison to a bowl of pasta... It's a hard mental battle! Skipping those after work runs or lunchtime circuits becomes more tempting as the temperature drops and the light fades, but as strange as it sounds, being sedentary makes us more sleepy.

So should you keep hitting snooze?

By now you might be thinking, ah, that all makes sense! Maybe I'll set my alarm a little later - the boss will understand. However, we probably should state, you don’t actually need more sleep in winter (unless of course you've picked up a winter cold, in which case, your boss will definitely understand!).

Despite our bodies hinting toward more sleep, once you’re hitting that baseline of 8 hours, there’s actually much better ways to combat the sleepy state that finds us at this time of year.

Make the most of the light we do have

Getting outside during the day (no matter the weather) will work wonders for your energy. Both in relation to light exposure in general and vitamin D levels.

Prioritise your nutrition and exercise regime

We’re not saying don’t eat pasta (we would never), but we do suggest you keep the greens up alongside it! When it comes to exercise, wrap up and get it done! You won’t regret it.