With the clocks set to go back at the end of this month, winter will soon be well and truly upon us.
As temperatures continue to fall and the days get darker, the seasonal change can take its toll on how our bodies adapt to sleep.
And with the continuing stress and uncertainty of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and increasing numbers of local lockdowns, our ability to switch off is likely to be given an additional test this winter.
Missing out on sleep can have a negative affect on our overall health, from low mood to making us more prone to serious medical conditions including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
But there are some simple adjustments you can make to your daily routine to help banish winter fatigue and improve the quality of your slumber. Here psychologist Hope Bastine, who is also resident expert at sleep tech firm SIMBA, shares her top tips for getting a better night’s kip with FEMAIL.
There are some simple adjustments you can make to your daily routine to help banish winter fatigue and improve the quality of your slumber. Pictured: stock image
Dial down the thermostat
If your sleep is off the boil, think about whether it has coincided with turning on your central heating.
Winter conjures up images of roaring fires, toasty bed socks and curling up under the covers. But in a bid to get cosy, our central heating can be stopping our sleep in its tracks.
Central heating can be the enemy of restorative slumber. When we start playing with the thermostat, too cold or too warm temperatures can disrupt your body’s natural sleeping process.
Artificial heat produces warm, dry air, which can cause dehydration and dry out mucus membranes.
If you have your heating on at night, you may wake up with a dry mouth, or feel thirsty, and it can prevent you from getting back off to sleep.
The optimum temperature of the bedroom for sleep should be between 16-18°C (61-64°F). Setting the thermostat and maintaining a bedroom temperature of 18 degrees or lower will mimic the body’s hibernation state and help maintain a calmer state of mind.
Curb the comfort food
Comfort food and winter go together like a perfectly made gin and tonic in summer. There is nothing that gives you that inner warmth and hug like a big bowl of carbs on a grizzly day outside.
The key here is not to cut them out – because that’s unrealistic – but more to curb the portions. And think about the timing and types of food you go for.
When you eat a large meal, especially close to bed, it fires up your metabolism, making it difficult to fall asleep. So aim to have heavier meals earlier on in the day.
Ingredients such as citrus, raw onions and garlic can aggravate conditions like heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux, which can disrupt sleep
Look out for ingredients that contain vitamin B6 – which boost mood and melatonin that relaxes us and prepares us for sleep. Baked sweet potatoes are a great option here. The skin is also a great source of fibre, so you’re less likely to wake up hungry during the night.
Chicken noodle soup can also be a soothing option in the evening. Soup is easier for the body to digest, and is comforting and warming, helping you to power down gradually.
Be wary of meals high in salt as these can also contribute to sleep disturbances and more frequent awakenings, in part due to an increase in blood pressure and fluid retention, so aim to reduce sodium levels before bed.
Sipping a warm glass of milk sprinkled with coco before bed can release snooze inducing tryptophan and give you just enough or a serotonin boost to slide you down into slumberland.
Psychologist Hope Bastine, pictured, who is also resident expert at sleep tech firm SIMBA, shares her top tips for getting a better night’s kip with FEMAIL
Bedtime stories aren’t just for children
That’s right – bedtime stories are also great for grown-ups to relieve stress and restore calm.
When our mind is swirling with the facts and thoughts of the day, stories help us shift down a gear before bed. They enable us to bypass those frustrating feelings of over-thinking – ‘analysis paralysis’ – and the ‘sleep paradox’ (the more you try and sleep, the more elusive sleep becomes).
This is because our visual cortex and occipital lobe are engaged in imagination, so the analytical pre-frontal cortex quietens down.
The evocative journey literature takes us on serves many purposes for adults and children alike. Embedding stories into our pre-sleep ritual can not only help us to let go of stress, but it provides a bridge for our conscious mind to step over to dreamland.
Raise the curtain
It’s a fact that most of us need around eight hours of quality sleep a night to function properly. We often hear the term circadian rhythm, or day cycle, but we also have an Infradian Rhythm, aka an annual cycle – and in particularly the circannual cycle which responds to seasonal cues.
It’s completely normal to expect to sleep slightly longer in winter, so don’t be alarmed or fight against the urge for it.
Changes in sunlight can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm – the natural cycle of sleep and wakefulness.
If you’re looking to achieve a better night’s sleep, getting the right amount of sunlight during the day is just as critical as the amount of darkness needed in your bedroom at night.
Melatonin – the hormone which regulates the timing and duration of sleep – is stimulated in winter months.
The body’s pineal gland secretes melatonin when we are in the dark. Low light and shorter days prompt your brain to produce more of it, making you feel more sleepy and groggy throughout the day, in comparison to summer.
Research suggests that the overproduction of melatonin can lead to depression and fatigue.
However, when sunlight hits your eyes, melatonin breaks down in the blood and its secretion is halted. Exposure to light early in the day stimulates your body and mind and encourages those zest for life feelings of wakefulness, alertness, and energy.
Rather than reaching for your phone, head straight for your curtains and blinds and open them as soon as you can.
Get out bright and early
Whether it’s taking the kids to school or heading to work, it can be more tempting to jump in the car or take public transport on gloomier days, but sticking to summer walking routines can reap sleep rewards in winter.
Too little sunlight during the day can lead to issues such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and hypersomnia – a condition that makes it difficult to stay awake during the day.
Morning daylight has been linked to a good night’s sleep. In 2017, researchers found that people who were exposed to greater amounts of light during the morning hours, between 8am and midday, fell asleep more quickly at night and had fewer sleep disturbances during the night compared to those exposed to low light in the morning.
Fresh air and walking are not only free, but they are potent ingredients to restorative slumber and mental wealth. Gone are the days of hot and sweaty kagools. We live in a world oozing with stylish rain and windproof athleisure. Invest and reform any walk from damp to delightful.
And if you have kids, the best way to get them walking is to distract. You can’t beat a good old-fashioned race to get little feet moving and your endorphins flowing. Think running, skipping, jumping over puddles… wherever your imagination takes you.
Take the weight off your shoulders
Sleep deprivation can also be brought on by stress – and it’s hard not to feel fear and anxiety in these unpredictable times.
There is burgeoning evidence suggesting being enveloped in a heavy cocoon can lower anxiety and stress levels. Weighted blankets harness the science of ‘deep pressure therapy’.
Deep pressure therapy is a sensation we experience when we are hugged, squeezed, stroked, or simply held. It counters stress by helping your nervous system switch from ‘fight or flight’ to ‘rest and relax’.
The concept is based on the sensory integration theory used by occupational therapists to reduce stress and anxiety. I recommend Simba’s OrbitTM weighted blanket, which relaxes you using the comforting weight of nano-beads to help guide away restlessness and ease you towards a better, deeper sleep.
Resist the highest tog duvet
Your body temperature can be affected by a myriad of factors – diseases, anxiety, the menopause, exercise levels, as well as your own ability to adjust to heat changes.
While we don’t hibernate as humans, it can be tempting to switch to the highest tog winter duvet as our inner nesting mechanism kicks in.
Overheating is one of the biggest barriers to restorative and quality sleep. In June this year, a government study concluded that sleep problems are growing because energy-efficient homes are too warm at night.
As well as turning your heating down or ideally off at night in the bedroom, I recommend Simba’s range of temperature regulating Hybrid duvets and pillows which have been engineered to draw heat away from the body if you get too hot, and warm you up if you’re chilly.
For more information visit https://simbasleep.com/