The mockery of being labeled “lazy” for finding it difficult to get out of bed during the winter may be unfounded, as per recent findings. The latest research proposes that although humans don’t hibernate, we might require more sleep in the colder season.
A scrutiny of individuals undergoing sleep evaluations revealed that during winter, people tend to experience a higher amount of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
Although the overall duration of sleep seemed to increase by approximately an hour during the winter compared to summer, this outcome was deemed insignificant in statistical terms.
Nonetheless, the duration of REM sleep – which is known to be intimately linked to the circadian rhythm and is influenced by shifts in light – was discovered to be 30 minutes lengthier in winter than in summer.
As per the research, despite the urban populace experiencing sleep disruptions, humans tend to undergo lengthier periods of REM sleep in winter than summer and lesser deep sleep in autumn.
The researchers assert that if the study’s discoveries can be duplicated among individuals with regular sleep patterns, it would serve as the first evidence for the necessity of adjusting sleep routines to seasonal changes. This could entail sleeping earlier during the darker and colder months. Dr. Dieter Kunz, the study’s corresponding author from the Clinic for Sleep & Chronomedicine at St. Hedwig Hospital in Germany, stated, “Seasonality is an omnipresent phenomenon in every living creature on earth.”
“Even though we still perform unchanged over the winter, human physiology is down-regulated, with a sensation of ‘running-on-empty’ in February or March.”
“In general, societies need to adjust sleep habits including length and timing to season, or adjust school and working schedules to seasonal sleep needs.”
Dr Dieter Kunz said
In the REM stage of sleep, brain activity elevates and individuals may experience dreams. The sleep cycle typically begins with three phases of non-REM sleep, which are subsequently followed by a brief interval of REM sleep.
Although the researchers recognize the need for validation of the outcomes in individuals without any sleep issues, the seasonal variations could potentially be even more pronounced in a healthy population.
The study involved enlisting 292 patients who had undergone polysomnography sleep evaluations, which are commonly conducted on individuals experiencing sleep-related problems. These patients were requested to sleep in a designated laboratory without the use of an alarm clock, allowing the researchers to observe and record the quality, duration, and type of sleep.
188 patients were selected for the new study after removing those taking sleep-affecting medication, technical errors, and those who skipped the initial REM stage.
