Constant tiredness in winter: According to sleep researchers, if you can't get out of bed in winter despite the time change, you should follow these three tips
It's the time change, and whoosh, getting up is so much easier? It would be nice. Unfortunately, ironically, it's actually the case that we have one hour moreIt's really messed up - and we come out of it even worsecome than before.
These 3 tricks will help you get out of bed easily, even in winter
Nevertheless, you have to be aware of itDon't give up without a fight in the winter. Fiona Barwick, head of the Sleep & Circadian Health Program at Stanford University, gives three valuable tips that can help everyone be responsive again before 8 a.m.
1. “Expose yourself to light as soon as you wake up.”
“Your body releases melatonin - a hormone that...promotes it when it is dark outside and suppresses it when it is light. This is why you feel sleepy before bed and are alert in the morning (at least at some point). “As the nights get longer and the days get shorter in the fall and winter, there is less sunlight, so the body produces more melatonin, which can make you feel tired and lethargic in the morning,” explains Dr. Barwick.
“The best thing you can do to counteract this effect is to stand in front of the light as soon as you open your eyes. Without light, it takes longer for melatonin to break down, and this prolongs sleep inertia - the time of tiredness and low energy after waking up," recommends the sleep researcher. 10 to 15 minutes were enough for this. If you can't even reach the curtains to let the light in, you can use a daylight alarm clock, for example.
2. “Stick to a consistent wake-up time and resist the urge to hit the snooze button.”
Yes, no one likes to hear that, but our beloved “snooz” button is a real enemy in the fight against constant fatigue. “When you use this tempting feature, you are telling your body that there is still time to sleep, which can cause melatonin levels in your body to rise further, trapping you in a groggy state,” says Dr. Barwick. “It may feel good to sleep for a few more minutes, but it won't give you quality rest,” she explains.
You should also avoid varying your sleep and wake-up rhythms too often. This means that if you like to stay in bed for half an hour longer on home office days, you may not be doing yourself any favors. “If you wake up at different times every day, your body thinks you're jetlagged (which, as you probably know if you've traveled to a different time zone, is horrible). “On the other hand, waking up at the same time every day stabilizes your circadian rhythm, making you feel less groggy and making getting up less of a struggle,” says Dr. Barwick.
3. “Move your body, even if it is minimal.”
“Physical activity increases the, the so-called stress hormone, which makes you feel awake faster,” says Dr. Barwick. In addition, this increases the core temperature, which increases energy levels, she adds. That doesn't mean that you can get a whole one straight away- Unit must be packed into the morning, it can also be light stretching exercises from bed, says Barwick. “For example, pull your feet towards your chest or stretch your arms in the air. “Turn your back or pull your shoulders back,” suggests Dr. Barwick before.
