Sleep and mood in the winter
The golden combination of longer nights, less natural sunlight, and colder temperatures makes crawling into bed sound dreamy. But the reality is that not everyone sleeps well in winter – making bedtime something to dread.
You might have winter insomnia and seasonal depression, which can affect your sleep and usually come from hormonal changes and vitamin deficiencies.
Throw in being less active, spending more time indoors, and possibly eating high-calorie comfort goods as a pick-me-up, and you have an excellent recipe for poor sleep and lower overall health than in warmer seasons.
The good news is that there are ways to sleep better in winter. The bad news is that most of it comes down to your wellness routine (so it needs work).
Join us below for more insight.
Why is winter terrible for my sleep?
Cold temperatures can make falling and staying asleep harder, and spending more time looking at screens indoors might overstimulate you.
Vitamin deficiencies are also common in winter, plus there's a chance that you struggle with depression at this time of the year.
Winter can affect your sleep in several ways, including:
- Reduced sunlight: Shorter days in the winter mean less sunlight, which can disrupt your circadian rhythm and cause your body to produce more melatonin, the sleep hormone, making you feel more tired.
- Lower serotonin levels: Reduced sunlight can also cause a drop in serotonin, which can trigger depression.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): A psychological disorder that can cause mood disturbances, including sadness, depression, and anxiety.
- Dry air: Sleeping in a room with dry air can disrupt sleep and decrease your performance the next day.
To help with winter sleep, you can try:
- Opening your blinds or curtains as soon as you wake up
- Getting outside in natural daylight as much as possible
- Using a light box in the morning to mimic the effects of bright sunlight
- Turning down the heat and turning up a cool-mist humidifier
Follow these steps to improve your sleep:
Heat-retaining mattress
Investing in a heat-retaining mattress, such as memory foam or a winter/summer side mattress, can be a game-changer for sleeping comfortably during the colder months.
These mattresses are designed to keep you cosy and warm throughout the night, helping you achieve more restful sleep.
It's also crucial to choose a mattress suitable for how you sleep. As a rule:
- Side sleepers do best with a medium mattress
- Back sleepers do best with a medium-firm mattress
- Front sleepers always need a firm mattress
- Combination sleepers should go for medium or medium-firm (ere on the side of 'firm' if you weigh more than 180 lbs)
Make a sleep routine
Struggling to sleep and get up means your sleep routine is out of whack.
You can do a hard reset by getting up and going to bed at set times. The most important part is getting up to kick your brain and body into a routine. It'll only take around a week for your body to recognise when it's time to sleep.
Cosy winter bedding
Upgrading your bedding to include a 13.5 tog duvet and brushed cotton sheets can create a snug, inviting sleep environment.
The thicker, warmer fabrics will envelop you in comfort, making it easier to drift off to sleep and stay asleep through the night.
Targeted heating
Instead of heating your entire house, use a fan heater to warm your bedroom without the ridiculous cost of firing up your central heating.
You could also warm your mattress with a heated mattress topper or buy a heated blanket and wear it around the house.
Supplementing for wellness
You may lack specific vitamins and minerals in winter, but a high-quality multivitamin can help. Vitamin D is the significant vitamin missing in winter due to a lack of sunlight, and magnesium and zinc levels can also drop.
Caffeine curfew
Avoid consuming caffeine-rich drinks, such as hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or chocolate-laden desserts, at least 6 hours before your intended bedtime.
Caffeine stimulates your brain and tricks it into thinking you're not tired, so that little pick me up could be why you can't sleep.
Quiet sleep environment
A solid-core bedroom door, heavy curtains, a thermal blind, and kindly asking household members to keep the TV volume down will help you make a quieter bedroom.
Noise from electronics can also keep you awake – turn off your TV at the socket and consider charging your smartphone in another room.