Although we don’t hibernate like animals in the winter, we all love to sleep a bit longer when it’s cold outside. If you’ve recently treated yourself to the best hybrid mattress, then you’ll find it even harder to get out of bed on the frosty mornings. It may seem like it’s natural to sleep a bit more in the winter, you may be wondering if it’s actually beneficial. So, keep reading and find out if sleep is more important during the winter.
Less Sunlight, More Darkness
During the winter, we’re exposed to much less sunlight, and it can be tempting to let those dark, cozy evenings take hold of you. Our natural body clock won’t change during the winter, even though it’s getting darker earlier than usual. However, this does mean that sleeping more and lazing about in the evenings just because it’s dark isn’t something that you should be doing. Doing this can really mess up your circadian rhythm which is what regulates your internal body clock. So, don’t let those dark evenings trick you into going to bed early! Unless you’re not very well, there’s no reason you can’t continue on with your life as normal and enjoy your evenings just as much as you did in the summer.
Lack of Vitamin D
When the sun is at its peak in the summer, you’ll find it much easier to get enough vitamin D. This vitamin is responsible for a lot of your bodily functions, and you’ll soon notice when your levels start to dip. In the winter when the sun hides away more often, it can be tricky to ensure you get enough sunlight. This can then lead to tiredness and fatigue as your vitamin D levels drop significantly. To combat this, you might look at taking supplements. But one of the best things to do is to actually go outside and get in some real sunlight! While it might not be possible as much as it is in the other months, there are still times when the sun comes out, so make the most of it.
Eating More and Moving Less
It’s very well known that people eat more during the winter, mainly due to all the holidays that happen. However, people also tend to move much less as well, which can make you feel way more tired than ever before. While it may seem strange, not moving will make you more tired, so getting up and moving about like normal can really help with your body clock. Once you start moving more, you’ll soon notice how much energy you have, even when it’s dark by 4PM! So, while there are lots of tasty holiday foods to be enjoyed, stuffing yourself into a food coma every evening and lounging about all winter, will definitely make you sleep more. This much sleep isn’t really beneficial for your body as you’re sleeping for the wrong reasons. Don’t forget to keep up with your regular routines and you’ll find it much easier to maintain a regular sleeping pattern.
Although it may seem like we need more sleep in the winter, it’s not actually necessary. The extra hours in bed that we get a purely down to things like the lack of sun and exercising less. It’s not always going to be the case for everyone, but for most people, winter is the time of year when they relax on their regular lifestyle. This can mean eating less healthily than you’re used to or skipping the gym more often. When this happens, your circadian rhythm gets disrupted, and it can cause you to sleep more than you need. So, make sure that you spend the time getting in plenty of exercise and sunlight to ensure that you upkeep your regulated body clock.
