How Does The Winter Solstice Affect Our Sleep?

Dating back to ancient traditions, the Winter Solstice has symbolized a magical night to commemorate the change in seasons as the sun begins its slow climb back towards the long days of summer. Although some ancient solstice ceremonies still take place to celebrate the superiority of the sun, many have shifted their focus to question how the tilting of the Earth and change in seasons affects their body’s internal clock.  

For those of you who aren’t too sure what the Winter Solstice is, it simply marks the year’s shortest day and longest night. On December 21, the Northern Hemisphere plunges into absolute darkness, which results in the day of the year with the least amount of sunlight. After the Winter Solstice, the days will begin to grow longer as the time we spend under the night sky shortens. While many cultures continue to celebrate this day with dances and feasts, we have chosen to celebrate by bringing awareness to the importance of sleep and how our natural rhythms may be affected throughout this change. 

What’s the Connection Between the Winter Solstice and Sleep?

Studies have shown that our circadian rhythm dictates our sleeping and metabolic functions, such as hunger, digestion, and metabolism. The word circadian comes from the Latin words "circa" ("about") and "dies" ("day") [1,2]. Thus, circadian rhythms are natural fluctuations that occur every 24 hours. 

Our "internal clocks" are influenced by both sunlight and blue light, such as our cell phones, tv, and computer screens. Your body was hardwired to rise with the sun each morning. Our brains take cues from the sun to suppress the hormone which makes us feel sleepy. You may have heard of this natural sleep hormone, melatonin. It’s what your brain relies on to tell your body it's time for sleep. Similar to sunlight, artificial light also suppresses the release of melatonin. As smart as our brains may be, they typically have a hard time telling artificial light apart from the real deal. 

It’s true that every person has their own, personal sleep cycle as our day-to-day lifestyles differ. However, our circadian rhythms were designed to naturally align with the rise and fall of the sun [3]. ​​These variations are a natural predisposition, also known as "chronotype." These variations, such as bedtimes and how much time is spent in each sleep stage, is relatively okay. The problem emerges when our circadian rhythm works against our routines.

Understanding Sleep Patterns 

While our sleep patterns may vary, the problem appears when we cannot perform our daily responsibilities, such as waking up early or maintaining high quality sleep each night.

People with poor sleep patterns typically struggle to fall asleep or wake up feeling drowsy. While there's no one-size-fits-all sleep pattern, there are a few common factors that cannot be missed:

• The Sleep Foundation suggests adults should sleep around 7-9 hours a day [4].
• Considering you're doing everything right before going to bed, you shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep [5]. 
• You should spend at least 85% of your time in bed asleep [6].
• Common signs of poor sleep quality include acne, weight gain, fatigue, stress, and insomnia [7].

How Does Winter Affect Your Sleep Hygiene?

It's no news that we feel a bit more tired during winter. Extra hours of darkness and fewer daylight hours can genuinely affect our sleep schedules. As we're exposed to less sunlight throughout the day, our body struggles with the production of two key hormones for our sleep-wake cycle, such as melatonin (the sleeping hormone) and serotonin (the feel-good hormone) [8]. 

Most people feel exhausted during winter due to several factors, such as being exposed to less sunlight during the day. Light plays a massive role in our sleep-wake cycle. Our brain needs sunlight to determine when to sleep and when to be awake. When exposed to sunlight, the brain inhibits melatonin production to keep us alert [9,10].

During winter, we're exposed to less sunlight, so our brains struggle to discriminate between day and night. This causes a ripple effect in melatonin production. Besides, most people wake up later in winter due to poor natural light and low temperatures. Consequently, we get up at a later hour than usual and the longer we stay in bed, the groggier you feel later on. Although this sounds counterintuitive, feeling sleepy during the day can hinder your ability to fall asleep at night, as melatonin production may become depleted when you need it most. 

If you found yourself relating to this article more than you would have assumed, your sleep-wake cycle may be unfortunately disordered. But don't worry, because we’re here to offer some tips on how to get your natural rhythm back on track. 

5 Tips to Get Better Sleep During Winter

1. Leave Your Phone Far, Far Away

If you use your phone as an alarm, leave it far from your bed. That way, you won't be tempted to scroll late at night. You'll also be more incentivized to get up in the morning and avoid that snooze button. 

2. Avoid Blue Lights 

Blue lights are everywhere: your computer, your phone, etc. So, an hour before bed, wind down and curl up with a book or your favorite magazine. Your body will naturally start to secrete melatonin without these disturbances. 

3.  Keep your Room Cold

Even if it's cold out there, keeping your room cold is a great way to promote deep sleep. Research shows we need a temperature of 64.4 °F to fall asleep [11]. 

4. Ditch your Noisy Alarm 

Your body releases cortisol (the stress hormone) every morning that awful sounding alarm wakes you up from your sweet dreams. Try switching your noisy alarm to a sunrise alarm to mimic your body's natural way of waking up.  

5. Support Your Body’s Natural Sleep Cycle

While a balanced sleep cycle begins with maintaining healthy sleep habits, sometimes that may just not be enough to achieve dream-worthy sleep. Many people tend to reach for traditional sleep medications that often leave them feeling groggy and disoriented the following morning. Natural sleep-promoting supplements may be a more preferable alternative. Manna’s Liposomal Sleep Complex, features naturally-sourced helpers such as GABA, Glutathione, and Melatonin. Each of these key players have been shown to promote deep and restorative sleep, without any of those icky side effects.*

Let's take a look at these three sources: 

• GABA stands for Gamma-aminobutyric acid. GABA receptors are located in the hypothalamus, a brain region involved in sleep processes. These natural neurotransmitters block impulses from the nervous system [12]. GABA has been shown to play a huge role in physical and mental relaxation, stress relief, and a balance in our mood by calming the activity of our brain’s neurons.*

• Melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone, is produced in our brain when exposed to darkness. Synthesized from an amino acid called tryptophan, melatonin is created by transforming serotonin (the feel-good hormone) into melatonin. Additionally, it is in charge of making us feel sleepy at night [13,14]. 

• Glutathione is a protein we produce naturally. Its primary function is to protect our cells, as it is a powerful antioxidant that promotes deep and restorative sleep [15]. Glutathione comprises three amino acids: glycine, glutamate, and cysteine, which help reduce stress and it also enhances sleep quality, making the perfect wind-down formula so you can sleep like a baby and wake up energized. *

Seasonal changes can alter hormonal processes that affect sleep, energy, and mood, which may lead to a tendency of feeling groggy throughout the day and sleepless at night. Being mindful of our routine and adjusting as necessary is essential to maintaining a proper sleep schedule. And while having less energy during winter is totally natural, the key lies in helping our bodies regulate our sleep cycles to stay energized throughout the season.

1. https://www.jci.org/articles/view/46043
2. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circadian
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23910656/
4. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
5. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/how-to-determine-poor-quality-sleep
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26194727/
7. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/how-to-determine-poor-quality-sleep
8. https://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_11/d_11_m/d_11_m_cyc/d_11_m_cyc.html
9. https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17625932/
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427038/
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7527439/
13. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/melatonin