Winter Nights… when will it end?

SAD

Up to one in fifteen people at this time of year will suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and even those of us who don’t will probably notice a greater than normal attachment to their bed, opting for early nights and late mornings, making that pre-work gym session an ever less likely phenomenon. So do we need more sleep in the winter? Are we just lazy? We’d like to know the answer to at least some of these question…

BODY CLOCK

We’ve spoken before about our body clock and how it affects our sleep, hormones, mood and physiological processes and we know already that daylight has a huge effect. Also known as a circadian rhythm, it is governed by light, sleep regularity and food consumption among other things so it makes sense that longer nights and fewer hours of daylight would take their toll. While we don’t actually need more sleep in the winter, it’s easy to think we do as the lack of sunlight in the morning will leave us struggling to wake up and the dark nights will certainly allow earlier melatonin production, making us feel sleepy sooner. Add onto this the festive food which is not always as healthy as it should be and increased alcohol consumption at Christmas parties, and we have a recipe for tired eyes and poor sleep, leaving most of weighing up the benefits of quitting our jobs for an extra few minutes (hours) in bed.

CRASH

Many of us don’t have the luxury of waking up naturally and instead will be woken rather unnaturally by our alarms, in ever-increasing darkness into the winter months. Without this shot of blue-turquoise light in the mornings on our walk to work (ok, walk to the station) we can be left feeling less awake and upbeat than in the summer. Feeling more tired can leave us craving high-energy, fatty foods and caffeine, which is only a short term fix and will result in that inevitable crash.

EXERCISE

If you’ve already suggested shorter office hours from September to March, only to have yours ideas shot down without due consideration, try getting some exercise shortly after waking. This should kick-start your metabolism, boost your mood and even help your sleep later that evening. Similarly, that’s why Lumiblues block harmful blue-violet light but still let through mood-boosting blue-turquoise light. As well as this, try to eat complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatos, beans, whole grains and vegetables as these supply you with a more lasting source of energy throughout the day.

FEEL GOOD

Finally, and maybe most importantly, try to establish a routine. A regular waking up time, set meal times and workouts and a regular bedtime will go a long way to winter-proofing your body clock and keep you feeling good until Summer arrives.