Alaskan winters are characterized by a lot of darkness. This makes it easier to go to sleep at night, but waking up can be a struggle. However, if you work a standard 8-5 job, are in school, or do anything that requires you to wake up energized, then these dark mornings may be quite the struggle. Here are a few things you can do to help you wake up energized, even if it's dark and cold outside.
How to Wake Up Energized - Even if it's Still Dark Outside
Alaska Winter Darkness Means Big Internal Changes
Alaskans’ sleeping schedules are unique. While it sounds reasonable to think, “Summer in Alaska is for long, fun days and winters are for lots of sleep,” it’s actually not quite that simple. As you go further north, things get even more complex. Our extreme lighting conditions affect our lives in many different way – ways that can be incredibly disruptive towards sleep.
How to Prepare and Prevent for Alaska Winter Insomnia
Why the Impending Darkness Affects Circadian Rhythm
It’s no secret that we are living under unique circumstances in Alaska: lots of light over the past few months, and lots of darkness to look forward to for the next six months. Though it might seem counter intuitive, winter in Alaska actually makes sleep more difficult for many people, especially as you move further north.
Simply put, the excess darkness can be extremely disruptive to three things that are essential for the onset of sleep:
- Ability to get daylight
- Ability to be physically active
- Hormone levels
Thus, there are many ways for your circadian rhythm to be negatively affected as winter approaches. It is crucial to understand this before preparing for and preventing insomnia as we head into winter because you need to know what and how to prevent it. Let’s look at circadian rhythm more closely.
5 Ways to Adjust Sleep Schedule During Alaska Winter Transition
Why Alaskan Winters Can Be Bad for Sleep
Much of the year in Alaska, we live in either the extreme darkness or extreme lightness. These extreme lighting conditions affect our lives in many different ways:
Alaskan Summers, Lots of Light, Little Sleep
Alaskan summers can make having a sleep schedule feel impossible. If you’re reading this, you are likely one of those people.
Signs That You Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep
Summers and Winters in Alaska can both be hard on getting enough sleep. The extreme lighting conditions don’t provide the transition from light to dark and dark to light in the morning/evening that prompts us to get tired and wake up. Because of this, setting a good sleep routine can be extremely hard.
Alaskan Summer Makes it Hard to Sleep
Alaskan summers can hit your sleep schedule hard. If you’re reading this, you are likely one of those people. And it’s not just the midnight sun, or lower down in Alaska the “twilight night.” Alaskan summers can make it hard for many Alaskan’s to sleep because:
Best Ways to Keep a Normal Sleep Schedule in Alaskan Winters
Why Alaskan Winters Can Be Bad for Sleep
Much of the year in Alaska, we live in either the extreme darkness or extreme lightness. These extreme lighting conditions affect our lives in many different ways:
Different Ways Alaska’s Extreme Lighting Conditions Affect Life
Other than a few months out of the year between “spring” and “fall” in Alaska, living here poses unique sleeping related to either receiving mostly (or only) daylight or mostly (or only) darkness. These extreme lighting conditions affect our lives in many different ways, most of which can be very disruptive towards sleep.
Unique Challenges of Alaska
Living in Alaska poses unique sleeping challenges most months out of the year. Other than a few months out of the year between “spring” and “fall” in Alaska, we are dealing with darkness that lasts most (or all) of the day, or light that lasts most (or all) of the night.