Cooler weather can affect your sleep in surprising ways
These days it seems sleep can be hard to come by for millions, whether it be from insomnia, stress, irregular sleeping patterns, and many other sleep disruptions. However, recent studies show that cold weather may actually be beneficial for your sleeping pattern.
One of the biggest issues that affect our quality of sleep is temperature, and while many may not play that of high importance, our bodies think differently. The National Sleep Foundation states that during the course of a normal day, our body temperature rises and falls reaching its lowest levels around 5 AM. Because of this natural cycle, the temperature inside of your sleeping area could disrupt your sleep if too warm. Experts commonly agree that a room temperature between 65 and 72 degrees is best when sleeping. This is where the colder winter months come in, as the already cold temperatures could help in putting us in a deep sleep. However, warmer rooms can cause sleep disruption and lead to a restless night. Studies also show that sleeping in a cooler room may also help in keeping us healthy.
Sunday, November 4 is the end to Daylight Saving Time, which means an earlier sunrise and sunset through the rest of the year. This not only can lead to less productivity but also can affect your body’s natural sleep cycle. With shorter days and longer nights, this can lead to an increase in sleep because your body produces higher amounts of a sleep hormone. This hormone not only helps in putting us to sleep but can also lead to sluggish days.
Fans are common for many who sleep in rooms, as the noise helps them fall asleep. However, the draft that is caused by air conditioners or during the winter months can lead to a disruption of our sleeping pattern. The study published last year detailed how a draft can cause us to shift in our sleep, higher heart rates, in return causing us to wake more.
The colder weather also leads to lower cortisone levels in our body, which prevents less stress. In a study published this year by the American Physiological Society, researchers found that our body produces more cortisol in the summer months and lower amounts in the winter months. Naturally, our body lowers cortisol levels at night to maintain healthy sleep and with already low levels in the winter, you’ll find yourself sleeping deeper.
This deep sleep comes despite our bodies working harder during the winter months. This increased workload causes our heart rates to go up and raises our blood pressure, which is why we might see a higher risk of heart attacks as ABC 17 previously reported. A study published in 2012 detailed just how hot and humid weather along with cold weather can affect our sleeping patterns. While hot and humid weather usually leads to shallow sleep and restless night, the study showed the opposite effect in cold weather, as cold weather usually leads to a well-rested night due to the natural temperature cycle of our bodies.
While cooler weather is quite beneficial for our sleeping patterns, there are some drawbacks that could lead to restless nights.
– Less light above can actually trick your natural sleep cycle into thinking it’s time for bed. This usually can lead to late nights or oversleep. You may have heard of the term Seasonal Affective Disorder before, which is a result of the lack of sunlight and can leave you feeling sluggish, depressed, and stressed. It’s for this reason experts recommend getting out in the sunlight as early as possible.
– Cold and dry air can lead to a drier nasal cavity, which can lead to a restless night. This forces us to breathe through a mouth and can lead to snoring and a restless night of sleep. To combat this problem you can sleep with a humidity in your bedroom to keep the moisture levels at the right levels.
– In addition to the cold and dry air, the cold weather leads to more people indoors. With more people in an enclosed space, sickness increases during the cooler months. This, in turn, can have an effect on your sleeping pattern as well.
While no significant cold outbreak is expected over the next few weeks, you’ll likely find yourself sleeping deeper and better with the cool nights we are already experiencing.
Stay with ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather as we continue to monitor the changing seasons and follow us on Twitter @ABC17Stormtrack.
