Six in 10 Americans say their sleep routines feel different during the winter than in other seasons.
Six in 10
Americans say their sleep routines feel different during the winter than in
other seasons.
That’s according
to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, commissioned by Mattress Firm and conducted
by OnePoll between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29, as reported by SWNS.
Respondents are
also more willing to make sacrifices for better sleep. Nearly half of Americans
would give up the internet for a year if only they could get better slumber at
night.
The recent end of
daylight saving time could have something to do with people’s willingness to
make sacrifices for extra sleep — 48% of survey respondents said they feel
tired earlier, while 41% move up their bedtimes when it gets dark earlier.
Nearly four in
five of the participants (78%) said they can discern when their circadian
rhythm is thrown off.
A quarter of
people said it is most difficult to wake up during the winter compared to any
other time of year.
Additionally,
winter tends to make people feel especially tired (21% of respondents) or sad
(20%), the survey found.
"It's truly
remarkable how keenly attuned we are to the impact of circadian rhythm
disruptions, particularly when they stem from the change in seasons and length
of daylight," said Dr. Jade Wu, sleep advisor at Mattress Firm in North
Carolina, as reported by SWNS.
"Our bodies'
acute awareness of these changes serves as a reminder of the intricate
connection between our internal clocks and the external environment."
Among the survey
respondents, 40% said they have been diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder
(SAD), while a total of 53% believe they have it.
Among the most
commonly cited "winter feelings" were apathy (32%), general
discontent (32%), loneliness (29%), mood swings (28%), loss of interest (26%),
anxiety (22%), sadness (16%), excess sleepiness (15%) and fatigue (10%).
Man awake at night
Winter tends to
make people feel especially tired (21% of respondents) or sad (20% of
respondents), the new survey found. (iStock)
Those despondent
feelings appear to negatively impact sleep, with 49% of people burrowing under
blankets, 48% not sleeping as long as they should and another 48% finding
themselves tossing and turning.
"Winter often
comes with a gloomy feeling because it’s a prolonged lull in daytime activity
levels, which can also make your nights less restful," continued Wu, per
SWNS.
"One of the
best things you can do for your body is to get active during the day and give
it a relaxing environment for sleep."
OnePoll conducts
quantitative research and runs online surveys, its website details.
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