Seasonal Changes In Sleeping Habits

By Rosana Horowitz

Seasons are an important part of our eco system, and the changes in seasons have an effect on most of the things in our environment. They affect the plant life around us as well as all other living beings including humans.

Sleep is a periodic state of rest that all animals go through. Sleeping habits differ from person to person, depending on the bodily requirements of each individual. Some people tend to sleep a lot, and cannot function properly until they get a good long sleep at night. However, some people do not require much sleep, and only sleep for a few hours every day.

Seasons influence our body in various ways. Out eating habits and what do we eat is affected even our moods are somehow triggered by the season, as they make us feel bright or dull. It also influences our sleeping habits, which strangely differ from season to season.

It has been found that the magnetic field of earth changes with the change in season, and further, this field controls our secretion of pineal gland, which is called melatonin. This particular secretion controls our circadian rhythms, which manage the sleeping cycle in the body, or the biological clock. This clock determines the time we need to rest, and when.

Apart from the magnetic field changes, the changes in amount of sunlight, and the weather brought upon with seasonal changes also affect our sleeping patterns. Light is one of the major factors that affect our sleeping and waking patterns.

In the winter seasons, there is a lesser amount of sunlight, and the days are shorter. The sun rises later in the morning, which makes us sleep for longer. Most of us are accustomed to wake up to the bright sunlight in the morning. In the winters, the sun rises later, and so we wake up late along with it. Similarly, in the summers, the days are longer and the sun rises early in the morning. The bright sunlight early on in the morning makes us wake up earlier too.

As mentioned earlier, seasons affect out mood as well, which in turn effects how we wake up in the morning. In the winters, the atmosphere is dull, and gloomy due to the absence of much sunlight, and the weather is chilly as well. Such an atmosphere puts most people in a mellow and low mood due to which, they sleep longer, and wake up later in the mornings. In the same way, the summer season usually puts people in a more energetic, and lively mood. This leads to a lesser requirement to sleep, and allows people to wake up earlier in the morning, and feel fresher, and brighter.

Most people do not find it difficult to adjust to the changing seasons, and sleeping patterns. However, there are treatments, and help available for those who find it difficult to adjust their biological clock with the changing seasons. - 30415

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