8 Ways Winter Affects Our Sleep

While winter kicked off around the country with an unusually mild start, the cold weather is officially in full gear now. But for a season linked to hibernating, these next months can actually have a unique way of keeping us awake. Read on for eight ways those shorter days can translate into sleepless nights -- and expert-proven tips to increase your shuteye.

Comments

[mamacat]

04:48 AM on 01/28/2012

I am one of those people who was blessed by orthea. I can sleep day or night, in almost any place. Yea!

[evecaren]

09:24 AM on 01/23/2012

Thanks for posting this article 8 Ways Winter Affects Your Sleep. Some of the information
I already knew, but some of it was new to me. We just bought a warm air humidifier and
both my husband and I have noticed the air doesn't feel so dry in our bedroom. We're thinking
about purchasing a light therapy machine which we would both share. That's still to be decided.

[chiefdancingostriche]

06:51 PM on 01/21/2012

me getting my house too hot will never be a problem. i sleep better the colder it is. i can sleep for 12 hours in 50 degree f/10 degree centigrade or lower. 68-72 f/20-22 c my average sleep is about 5 hours. if i even can get that much.

[Lolavie19]

08:07 PM on 01/20/2012

UGGH waste of time I already knew this

[book publisher]

10:51 AM on 01/21/2012

jerk

[gitrdone]

12:15 PM on 01/20/2012

I sleep best during the winter. It gets cold in our house during the night because the wood stove starts to die off, but we have multiple layer of blankets which keeps us nice and toasty until the morning. I lose sleep during the summer because it gets too warm and the sun starts to rise earlier which always wakes me up too soon.

[Unshriven]

11:28 AM on 01/20/2012

Never underestimate the power of a long, dull book.

[AliceEatPeyote]

11:22 AM on 01/20/2012

Jeez everything now days is bad in for you in some way

[Unshriven]

11:26 AM on 01/20/2012

That's why life is fatal.

[Rosalee Harris]

11:11 AM on 01/20/2012

I have always found winter to be the hardest time to leave my bed. My snooze button gets a good work out. I just want to sleep more in the winter than in any other season. In the summer I'm up at 5 am in the winter I could sleep till 12 pm

[jrmjake1]

10:46 AM on 01/20/2012

Winter helps because I sleep like a baby. Get to bed between midnight and 1. Wake between 6:30-7:30 feeling like a million bucks. Keep my thermostat at 60 degree's and put plenty of covers on the bed. Summers are much harder here in the South to sleep than the winters. One cavaet, I sleep alone so the only tossing and turning is my own and I don't seem to mind. Usually the only time I awake is when Ol' Jake wakes me up with his snoring and that four legged critter does it better than most humans. Have a good weekend and by all means ............... sleep well.

[Hickspy]

10:40 AM on 01/20/2012

I sleep barely 5-6 hours every weeknight, and I can wake up in the morning easily enough. I don't drink coffee so I'm not reliant on caffeine to get me up in the morning.

However I do binge sleep for 10 or so hours every Saturday, and it makes me feel great. It's like replenishing the tanks.

[EagalObama]

10:22 AM on 01/20/2012

turn off the heat, open the window and pile on the down comforter, this gives your brain more oxygen and turns on your own internal heat, the prana or chi will keep you form getting sick in the winter too.

The heat is only half the story, the dry air will dry out the sinuses and leave your brain oxygen deprived, that's why you wake up foggy and get sick often in winter.

One more thing, ditch your car and ride a bike to work, all that fresh air and prana will make you so happy you will sing all day ;-)

[Sean Whelan]

10:43 AM on 01/20/2012

It's 4* out. I'm not opening the window.

[MadMaddie]

10:59 AM on 01/20/2012

Sean: When I loaded the kiddos into the SUV at 9am, it was 2* here.
Are we neighbors?
I'm in N.E. Ohio....
and awaiting another sizable snowstorm to blow in about 5pm... sigh.

[EagalObama]

04:49 PM on 01/20/2012

not wide open, just a small crack is fine, the point is fresh air ;-)

[randyeye]

12:07 AM on 01/21/2012

It's late. Very, very late, for you. Good luck.

[mwnyy]

08:16 AM on 01/20/2012

We turn down the heat at night, set it at 60, and hubby needs a fan at night. I curl up in my blanket and sleep better in the winter than I do in the summer.

[Carol Ardman]

02:51 PM on 01/19/2012

Excellent advice! I'm working on getting the bedroom the right temperature and not too dry. Who knew too dry could be a problem? It's awful not to get enough sleep!