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Friday, 8 August 2014
Author - Good Health
In the middle of winter, do you find yourself wanting to sleep more, eat more and curl up by the fire rather than going out? Relax - you’re hibernating! Find out why right here…
We often behave as if seasonal changes are irrelevant to a modern lifestyle. After all, in many ways, civilisation is all about overcoming nature. But our bodies have not fully evolved to this modern climate. They remember how weather once dictated behaviour. In winter, we hunkered around a fire, repairing tools and telling tales that wove our culture. We packed our bodies close and slept long.
Now we act as if it’s always summer, demanding consistently high productivity at work and at home. But our bodies require cycles of activity and rest - daily and annually. In summer, when days are long, our metabolisms and energy levels amp up. In winter, we produce hormones that make us sleepy, giving us time to restore body, mind and soul. There’s nothing wrong with that cycle - except that we work against it, forcing ourselves to operate at ‘summer levels’ even in winter. No wonder so many people feel depressed at this time of year!
How SAD is that?You’ve probably heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. You might even suffer from it. The fact that most clinicians address the issue via technology (daily exposure to high-intensity electric light) and/or medication provides an interesting perspective on our time. But some have noted that SAD’s symptoms have more in common with hibernation than with clinical depression.
Could the winter blues be a result of modern living’s demand to move at top speed all day, every day, and mostly indoors - disconnected from the sun’s cycles? Could we give in to a bit of hibernation?
Factors that affect how we feel in winter…
Lack of LightThe change in light can have an effect on the time and quality of your sleep. We may not necessarily need more sleep in winter, but factors beyond our control make us want it. The amount of daylight during winter is more limited than in other seasons, impacting the body's cycles.
Light supresses the production of melatonin by the brains pineal gland. Melatonin regulates the body's sleep-wake cycles. Lack of light can cause the body to produce more of the chemical, making the body feel tired and sluggish which explains why we might feel lethargic or sleepy in the mornings and evenings throughout the winter months.
Colder AirWinter is notorious for an increase in electricity bills as temperatures drop and heat gets turned on. However, heating can have undesirable effects on sleep quality. When air is too cold it will negatively affect melatonin production and cause the body's sleep cycle to be disrupted. However, air that is too dry or too warm will dry out the body's mucus membranes (like the nose and throat) and make the body more susceptible to bacteria, viruses and illnesses such as the cold or flu.
Change in Eating HabitsWhile summertime brings natural sugars in the form of fruit, winter tends to bring on cravings for more hearty, dense carbohydrates. Overeating this sort of food, particularly sugary, fat-laden and high-calorie food, can impact the body's hormone levels.
Associated with metabolism and appetite, the hormone leptin is also influenced by eating too much of these types of foods. The change in the levels of leptin in the body ends up disrupting the sleep cycle, and these disruptions will cause the body to further alter hormone levels. When our sleep cycle gets disrupted, we wind up craving those foods more and we don't know when we're full. If we continue to eat like this, it will affect our sleep - it's a vicious cycle.
Tips to wipe out winter tiredness and get energised!
Not all products recommended may be available in South Africa at this time
Mood Changing with the Weather?
Date:Monday, 20 July 2015
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