As the seasons shift, our bodies and sleeping patterns tend to follow suit. Whether it's the longer days of summer, the cozy nights of winter, or the transitions in between, understanding and adapting to these seasonal changes is crucial for maintaining a healthy sleep routine. In this blog post, we'll explore the impact of seasonal changes on our sleep and offer tips on how to thrive year-round by adjusting your sleeping patterns accordingly.
The season does not only come with changes in the environment, or changes in your mood. They also come with changes in your sleep. With each new season, the light patterns vary, which can cause your sleep to fluctuate.
This is because light controls our sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm. Therefore, increased light during the spring and summer months can have different effects than decrease light during the fall and winter months.
Not only does light play a role, but so does temperature. Colder temperatures make you want to sleep longer than warmer temperatures.
Knowing what these seasonal fluctuations are, and how they can impact your sleep may be useful for helping you manage your sleep. You can make the necessary changes by based on whatever the season is and your sleep requirements. Continue reading to learn more!
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a depressive mood disorder that affects people only at certain parts of the year. It mostly affects people in the winter months, after daylights savings, when it gets dark very early in the day. The lack of light that most people are exposed to during this part of the year can create feelings of sadness, a lack of motivation, the desire to sleep a lot, and other symptoms synonymous with depression.
The thing that makes SAD unique from depression is that it is not year round. It affects as much as 3% of people inthe US, with lower energy, a lack of concentration and irritability, and sleeping issues. Continue reading to learn more about SAD's effect on sleep.
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.
Alaska spans over 1,300 miles from north to south, making it a vast state with noticeable variations in summer light transitions. While the southern parts of Alaska experience light transitions that are somewhat uncomfortable but not markedly different from much of the northern part of the contiguous United States, the transition becomes increasingly extreme from Anchorage northward.
The extent to which individuals need to prepare for this transition and its potential impact hinges on three primary factors: their geographical location within the state, their sensitivity to light, and most significantly, the measures they have undertaken to normalize their circadian rhythm during the winter.
Individuals who have diligently pursued any of the following measures may experience a smoother transition:
See: Ways to keep a normal sleep schedule in Alaskan winters