Some of you may embrace the winter weather, but others might have a tougher time coping with the cold, especially at night. Winter brings with it less sunlight in addition to the colder weather, and this may also affect the kinds of food you are eating. All of these contribute to changes in your sleep cycle, which may have significant impacts if you are not prepared. There are many ways in which the cold affects your sleep, and so if you are concerned about the coming winter, read on to see what factors you should keep your eye on this cold season.
Sleeplessness
Cranking up the heat and snuggling into a thick blanket when it is cold might sound like the perfect way to fall asleep, but it can actually be quite detrimental to your sleep cycle. If your room is too hot, or if you’ve bundled yourself up, your body might dry out, which is the perfect environment for viruses and illnesses to creep in. Similarly, if the air in your room is too cold, this can alter the body’s production of melatonin, and in turn, can disrupt your sleep cycle. It can be hard to get the temperature of your room just right, but you can counter this by using a few light layers instead of one thick one, or by looking at some wool quilts. They keep you warm in winter, but not suffocatingly so, and soak up moisture in summer so you can stay nice and dry while you sleep. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, specialists can help you with a decision – visit sites such as the MiniJumbuk Website for more information.
Lack of Light
The change in light and the amount of light that is available throughout the day can affect both how much and how well you sleep at night. Light exposure is directly connected to melatonin production, and melatonin is heavily involved with the body’s sleep cycle. The less light you get, the more melatonin your body creates, leading you to feel sluggish and more tired than usual. To prevent this from happening to you, try and get as much sunlight as you can throughout the day, and minimise the use of artificial lights at night, especially before you are about to go to sleep.
Lack of Exercise
Exercise has been shown to affect sleep in a positive way – if you do the right amount of exercise, you will sleep better than those who do not. Cold weather tends to make everyone feel less energetic and just a little more tired than usual, so exercise is pushed out of the way. If you want to give yourself the best chance of being well rested, try and incorporate as much exercise into your day as possible. This might be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the lift.
These are three ways the cold can affect your sleep. There are many other factors that come into play once the cold weather rears its head, so if you want to be fully prepared, make sure you do some more research. Stay warm!
Which ways do you think the cold affects your sleep? What do you do to combat this? Leave your thoughts down below.
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