Do humans need to hibernate too? This is what science shows

(CNN) — Do you find yourself stuffed during the day during the cold season, feeling like you’re not getting enough sleep at other times of the year?

“If you feel like sleeping more in the winter, you’re not alone,” says Dr. Raj Dasgupta said, citing research that says at least a third of American adults. Sleep more in winter.

“Most adults need between (seven and nine) hours of sleep per night, and this is true no matter how cold or dark it is outside,” said Dasgupta, who is also associate director of the residency program in internal medicine. Huntington. “However, it is normal to experience more sleep during the winter because we lose an hour of daylight when we enter standard time, which is associated with an earlier onset of darkness.”

Compared to animals, seasonal effects on human sleep were thought to be little or no until recently, when a study published in February 2023 found the opposite: 188 patients who underwent a sleep study at Berlin’s St. Hedwig Hospital slept about one. hours more in winter than in summer, which according to the authors was not statistically significant. But participants had 30 more minutes of rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep during the winter.

REM sleep is a sweet spot in the sleep cycle, characterized by more dreaming and body movement and rapid heartbeat and breathing than other phases. It’s “an essential stage of sleep that contributes to memory, concentration, mood regulation and immune function,” Dasgupta explained.

The desire or phenomenon of oversleeping during winter may be related to how light fluctuates throughout the year or to changes in behavior and mental health. Here’s what experts say you should know about the science and whether you should make any adjustments.

How does light affect sleep?

“Our bodies get cues from the sun when it comes to our circadian rhythms, meaning we’re active when it’s bright outside, but when the sun goes down you feel tired,” Dasgupta said. “Decreased exposure to sunlight increases melatonin, a hormone produced in the body that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.”

Research Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Nursing Research Center Dr. With earlier production of melatonin during the winter, “it’s natural to assume that a healthy person would also need more sleep during the winter,” Carleara Weiss said. Buffalo.

And light affects not only the amount of sleep, but also its quality. “REM sleep is greatly affected by light and darkness, so when we have less light in the winter months, the body basically compensates by getting more REM sleep,” Dr. Joshua Tal said. York specializes in sleep disorders.

There may also be a need for more sleep during the winter due to which it is known “jet lag” “Social,” according to experts, meaning the late-night fun you had in the summer may be the reason you have trouble sleeping in the winter or that your body seems to be compensating with more sleep.

“Your body isn’t used to this earlier time and has a harder time falling asleep,” Tal explains. “Your watch is slow.”

Other behavioral causes, Dasgupta said, include “holiday stress, indulging in a variety of foods and treats, consuming alcohol and skipping workouts.”

Adapt to the seasons

Humans don’t need to hibernate, nor can we because of our social and work responsibilities, Weiss said. “But we can make adjustments to perform better and rest during the winter,” he added.

Because of how light changes in winter can affect our circadian rhythms, getting a little more sleep can help you be more alert for a schedule that requires you to be out after dark, Tal said. On the other hand, delaying the start time of work or school will also help, as being outside during the day will help people feel more alert.

“To help our bodies transition from sleep to wakefulness, it’s important to expose ourselves to light in the morning during the winter months,” Weiss said. “Additionally, it’s important to have a consistent bedtime and wake-up time.”

If your schedule doesn’t allow for exposure to natural light before work, you can try light therapy, a leading treatment for seasonal affective disorder, which can be another cause of oversleeping in the winter. Treatment involves exposing yourself to a light box with at least 10,000 lux (lux is a unit of measurement of light level intensity) for at least 30 minutes.

Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and immediate past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Dr. “It’s important to make sure your sleeping environment is conducive to sleep,” said Jennifer Martin. “And if you find you’re struggling with seasonal depression, reach out directly to a trusted healthcare professional or mental health professional.”