**10,000 Fans Incentive Program Does the cold season make you drag your time during the day, feeling like the amount of sleep you usually get at other times of the year doesn't seem like enough right now?
If you want to sleep more in the winter, you're not alone," said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an associate professor of clinical medicine at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., citing research that found that at least one-third of U.S. adults report sleeping more in the winter.
The sleep needs of most adults are between seven and nine hours per night, and it is consistent no matter how cold or dark it is outside," said Dasgupta, who is also the associate program director of the Huntington Internal Medicine residency. "However, it's common to feel like you're sleeping more in the winter because we lose an hour of daylight when we get into standard time, which is associated with the early start of darkness. ”
Compared to animals, seasonality had almost zero effect on human sleep, until a recent study published in February 2023 found otherwise: 188 patients who underwent a sleep study at St. Hedwig's Hospital in Berlin slept about an hour more in winter than in summer, which the authors say was not statistically significant. But participants did get an extra 30 minutes of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep during the winter months.
The REM phase of sleep is the sweet spot of the sleep cycle and is characterized by more dreams and faster heart rate and breathing than other phases. It's "an important stage of sleep that helps with memory, concentration, mood regulation, and immune function," Dasgupta says.
The craving for more sleep in winter, or the occurrence of it, may be related to the way light fluctuates throughout the year, or to the behavioral and mental health changes that may result. Here's what experts think you should know about the science and whether you should make any adjustments.
When it comes to our circadian rhythms, our bodies receive cues from the sun, which means that when it's bright outside, we tend to be active, but when the sun goes down, you may feel tired," Dasgupta says. "The decrease in sunlight leads to an increase in melatonin, a hormone produced in the body that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. ”
With melatonin produced early in the winter, "it's natural to assume that a healthy person also needs more sleep in the winter," said Dr. Carleara Weiss, a research assistant professor at the University of Buffalo's Center for Nursing Research.
Light affects not only the amount of sleep, but also the quality of sleep. "REM sleep is highly affected by light and darkness, so during the winter months, when we have less light, the body basically overcompensates by providing more REM sleep," says Dr. Joshua Tarr, a New York City clinical psychologist who specializes in sleep issues.
Experts say that the need for more sleep in winter may also be due to so-called "social jet lag," meaning you've had fun late nights all summer, which could be the reason why you're having trouble falling asleep in the winter or feeling like your body is overcompensating for more sleep.
Your body isn't used to such an early time and it's hard to fall asleep," Tarr said. "Your clock is delayed. ”
Other behavioral causes, Dasgupta said, include "holiday stress, indulging in a variety of foods and snacks, drinking alcohol and skipping exercise."
Humans still don't need to hibernate because of our social and professional obligations, and we can't afford it, Weiss said. "But we can make adjustments, perform in a better way, rest in a better way in the winter," she said.
Because light changes in winter can affect our circadian rhythms, getting a little more sleep can help you be more alert, as the schedule requires you to be outside when it's dark, Tarr said. Alternatively, delaying the start of work or school can also help, as simply going out during the day will help people feel more alert.
To help our body transition from sleep to wakefulness, it's important to do light in the winter mornings," Weiss said. "In addition to this, it's important to maintain a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. ”
If your schedule doesn't allow for exposure to natural light before work, you can try phototherapy, which is the main ** method of seasonal affective disorder – which may be another reason to sleep more during the winter months. **Includes exposing yourself to a lightbox of at least 10,000 lux for at least 30 minutes. (Lux is a unit of measurement for light intensity.)
It's important to make sure your sleeping environment is conducive to sleep," said Dr. Jennifer Martin, professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "If you find yourself struggling with seasonal depression, connect with a trusted healthcare professional or contact a mental health professional directly. ”