There’s a famous saying that “sleep is the best medicine” — and for good reason. Because sleep is not a luxury, it’s a basic biological need. Sleep is so important, in fact, that the National Institute of Health says that even one night of poor sleep can affect your mood, concentration, and alertness the next day.*
Why is sleep so important?
When you fall asleep, your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) automatically switches on. The job of the PNS is to help your body rest and recover, slowing down your heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and other bodily functions we don’t often think about. This vital recharging process is what helps us pay attention, solve problems, make decisions, and regulate our emotions when we wake up the next day.
But that’s not all. PNS also helps repair muscles, strengthen our immune system and support healthy brain function. In short, during sleep your body is working hard to support you both physically and mentally.
What Happens When the Seasons Change?
It’s not your imagination if you find that the change of seasons disrupts your sleeping habits. Here are some reasons why:**
Light exposure and melatonin production
Daylight is one of the most powerful influences on our sleep-wake cycle. In summer, the longer daylight hours delay the production of melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep earlier. In winter, limited daylight triggers an earlier melatonin release, which can make us sleepier, and sometimes even lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Shorter days in winter can also affect our mood-regulating chemicals like serotonin, leading to seasonal depression. For those of us who experience SAD, we know that it often comes with increased fatigue and difficulty waking up.
Holiday disruptions
The holidays in November and December are a time of joy, but they also bring about a change in routine. When we travel long distances, have late-night get togethers, and spend much more time shopping and entertaining, it can all impact the quality of our sleep.
Daylight saving time
This is a big one. Shifting the clock forward or backward by just one hour can disrupt your circadian rhythm for days, or even weeks. In fact, even a one-hour shift can increase sleep deprivation, lower mood, and reduce reaction time for up to a week after the clocks change.
More about your circadian rhythm
Just alike all animals and plants, we have a circadian rhythm, a 24-hour cycle that helps our bodies and minds use our environment to our advantage. Think of it this way: Our circadian rhythm is our internal clock that governs sleep, mood, and energy – and tells our bodies it’s time to sleep when it’s dark, and it’s time to wake up with the morning sun. But as we move into the winter months, our circadian rhythm can shift a lot.***
With fewer hours of daylight, especially in the morning, our brain doesn’t get the strong “wake up” signal it relies on to stop producing melatonin. That means many people feel groggier in the morning, less energized during the day, and ready to crawl into bed earlier than usual. This seasonal slowdown can also influence hormones like melatonin and serotonin, which play major roles in sleep quality and mood.
On top of that, long, dark evenings can trick your body into thinking it’s bedtime long before it actually is. Even indoor lighting can’t fully replace the natural light cues your circadian rhythm depends on, so your timing gets thrown off. Add in colder temperatures and more time spent indoors—often on TV and computer screens—and you’ve got a perfect recipe for disrupted sleep patterns. You might find yourself waking up at odd hours, tossing and turning, or simply feeling “off” throughout the day.
Understanding how the winter season shifts your body clock can help us make small but powerful adjustments that help us sleep better. Here are 10 ideas you can try:
10 steps to a better night’s sleep during seasonal changes
1. Step outside within your first hour of waking up
Natural light is the strongest signal for resetting your body clock. Even 10–15 minutes outside—cloudy or sunny—helps regulate your melatonin and boosts daytime alertness.
2. Try to keep a consistent sleep and wake schedule
Shorter days can tempt you to sleep in, but staying on a routine keeps your circadian rhythm stable. Try to wake up and go to bed within the same 30-minute window every day.
3. Limit your exposure to screens and bright overhead lights at night
This is a hard one, but when it gets dark early, we often turn to the TV or our computer screen and use bright overhead lights. Warm, dim lighting after sunset will help, and try to reduce your screen time 1 hour before going to bed to help your brain produce melatonin naturally.
4. Stay physically active, even when it’s cold
During winter, most of us spend less time outdoors doing physical activity, which makes it harder to sleep. A simple 20- 30-minute walk outside, an indoor workout, or even gentle stretching can help your body regulate our sleep–wake cycle.
5. Create a pleasant, cool sleep environment
This might come as a surprise, but as temperatures drop, your body naturally prefers a cool room at night. Keep your bedroom slightly cool and avoid overheating. A consistent, relaxing, and comforting environment helps cue your body for sleep.
6. Establish a relaxing wind-down routine
You can help your brain understand that it’s time to wind down if you develop a consistent pre-bed ritual each night, such as reading, stretching, or taking a warm shower.
7. Avoid heavy meals and alcohol close to bedtime
This is one of the most important things we can do to help ourselves to sleep well. Alcohol may make you fall asleep quickly, but it disrupts REM sleep and often leads to lighter, more restless sleep as your body processes it. Eating a large meal late at night can also confuse your circadian rhythm, signaling the body to stay in “daytime mode” instead of winding down. Together, these habits make it harder to get deep, restorative rest.
8. Keep the bedroom dark in the morning and evening as needed
Because winter sunrises are later, consider blackout curtains to prevent early light disruptions—or a sunrise alarm clock if you need help waking up.
9. Manage stress before bed
We all have some degree of stress in our lives, and It’s not easy to make ourselves relax. Winter can often amplify stress and mood changes. Some people find that light journaling, breathing exercises, or meditation can help calm your nervous system, and make it easier to fall asleep.
10. Limit naps or keep them short
When it gets dark early, it’s tempting to nap more. But surprisingly, too much sleep can be detrimental, too. If you need a nap, set your alarm and keep your nap to no longer that 20-30 minutes. And try to avoid late-afternoon snoozing to protect your nighttime sleep.
The change of seasons has a tangible effect on our bodies and our sleeping patterns. But fortunately, there are many things that can help. For more information on how to get a good night’s sleep regardless of the season, contact Premier Medical Group at https://www.premiermedicalhv.com/ or call us today at 888-632-6099
*[https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/04/good-sleep-good-health?]
***[https://www.premiermedicalhv.com/]