Last Update: December 28, 2022, 15:07 IST
Since circadian processes are affected by temperature, winter tends to lead to lower temperatures, and this has an effect on the pattern and duration of sleep.
Due to lethargy in winter, most people want to sleep more than their normal hours.
After surviving the long summer and humidity, winter gives us the much needed cool weather. But the extreme cold weather and low temperatures make us curl up in our blankets and make us so lazy that we end up lying in bed for longer periods of time. Answer India It is facing bitter cold and people are preferring to spend time in their blankets. Most people want to sleep more than their normal hours due to lethargy. But this begs a question: Why do people feel like they need more sleep in the winter?
According to The Indian Express, Dr Visveswaran Balasubramanian, Consultant, Interventional Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine at Yashoda Hospital, Hyderabad, told that our sleep habits are based on our circadian rhythm. He explained that circadian processes are our “internal timekeeping cells”.
These cells are responsible for synchronizing our body with the environment with the help of “zeitgebers” or “clues of time” such as ambient temperature, and light and coordinate other such circadian responses to adapt with the environment. Huh.
Since circadian processes are affected by temperature, winter tends to lead to lower temperatures, and this has an effect on the pattern and duration of sleep. Also, according to psychiatrists, during winters the daylight hours get shorter and the nights get longer. This affects our melatonin levels, and suppression of this chemical makes our bodies more lethargic. The unexplained difference between day and night leads to an increased desire to sleep.
Experts also suggest that research has shown that our brain becomes more active during summers and its activity decreases during winters. It also affects our sleep.
While the desire to sleep increases in the winter and we want to stay on the couch all day, the official website of Sleep Education explains that if we stay in bed longer than necessary the body’s natural rhythms can be thrown off. Staying in bed all day can throw off your circadian rhythm, which can lead to sleep disorders.
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