Do you also have trouble getting up when it’s dark outside? This is why – Quest

Is your alarm going off and is it still dark outside? Many people really have to muster all their willpower to get out of bed. Because getting up when even the sun is still sleeping? Many people think that is simply not the most fun activity there is.

Role of melatonin when waking up

Why is it that we find it extra difficult to put our feet next to the bed when there is no light yet shining through the curtains? This probably has something to do with the hormone melatonin. Partly because of this hormone, your biological clock ticks well.

Is it getting dark? Then your pineal gland, which is located in your brain, produces this hormone. Melatonin prepares your brain for sleep.

You get the idea. As long as it remains dark, your melatonin level is high. That’s why some people find it very difficult to drag themselves out of bed when it’s still dark outside.

Do you need more sleep in winter?

So it’s a hormone issue, that difficulty getting up on dark days. But what about the need for sleep in autumn and winter? It is sometimes said that we should spend more time in bed during those periods. Sleeping, that is.

That is not necessarily the case, says the Spanish sleep expert María José Martínez Madrid (Universidad de Murcia). against the Spanish newspaper The Country. He says that we always need the same number of hours of sleep, whether it is summer or winter.

Tired more quickly in the autumn

However, it does seem to be the case that people are tired more often in dark months and therefore sleep more. A German study from 2023 shows that we indeed sleep more in October and November than in warmer months. It saves about an hour.

But the German researchers say that one hour does not make a significant difference and the study only focused on people with sleep problems. It is therefore not clear whether people with a healthy sleep rhythm also sleep longer in the winter. Scientists should look into that again.

Go to bed when it gets dark

Do you have the feeling that you want to sleep more in the autumn and winter? Then let the melatonin do its work and go to bed a little earlier. The alarm clock is often difficult to put aside for work, school or other obligations, but on your own bedtime you often have (more) grip.

Also read

Waking Up in the Dark: A Comedic Take on Melatonin and Motivation

Ah, the morning alarm… that delightful little beep that steals our dreams and replaces them with the harsh reality of another workday. And for some of us, it feels like we’re being woken from a nice cozy five-month hibernation. The unfortunate thing? It’s still dark outside! You know, I’ve always believed that if the sun is still in bed, I should be too. But alas, society thinks otherwise. So, let’s just blame our hormones for this struggle, shall we?

The Role of Melatonin When Waking Up

So why on Earth (or should I say under it, since it’s pitch black) do we find it so darn hard to put those pesky feet on the floor when the curtains are darker than our mood after a bad comedy special? It all comes down to melatonin—our little sleep chemical that’s basically a party pooper when it comes to morning enthusiasm.

As it gets dark, our pineal gland (the size of a grain of rice, but who doesn’t love a bit of overachieving?) kicks in and releases melatonin, saying, “Hey, sleepyhead! Stay in bed, it’s night-night time!” So here we are, with melatonin levels soaring and our motivation levels plummeting. I mean, come on! Who designed this whole waking-up-in-the-dark thing anyway? A masochist?

Do You Need More Sleep in Winter?

Now, this brings us to another fascinating query: Is winter making us all slightly more lazy (and by lazy, I mean snuggled up in bed with the latest box set of whatever rubbish we’re bingeing on)? Some say we need to spend more time under the covers during those cold, dark months—like a bear preparing for a long nap. But wait, what does the science say? According to Spanish sleep expert María José Martínez Madrid (a name that just begs to be on the background of a romantic comedy), it turns out we need the same amount of sleep all year round. Fantastic news…unless you were counting on a winter snooze fest!

Are We Tired More Quickly in Autumn?

However, a German study in 2023 found that people do tend to get a bit more sleepy in the autumn. I say, “Who isn’t?” I mean, the leaves are dropping, the nights are longer, and your social life is crumbling faster than a biscuit in tea. The average person apparently gets around an extra hour of sleep in October and November, a sleep bank that we can’t even touch in the summer when everyone’s too busy flaunting their beach bodies. Spoiler alert: it’s actually just the *fake tan* pulling a fast one.

But before we start planning our hibernation strategies based on this study, let’s pause. The researchers focused mostly on people already dealing with sleep issues. What about those of us who don’t have trouble catching Z’s? Are we also snoozing off more? Well, that’s still a mystery—someone needs to dig deeper, perhaps with a cup of coffee in hand!

Go to Bed When It Gets Dark

If you’re sensing that urge to sleep in winter, let that melatonin do its thing! Go to bed a tad earlier! I can hear the groans already—“But I have *Netflix* to watch!” Yes, but if your own bedtime is up to you, maybe you should consider it, while also figuring out an excuse to blame your alarm clock when you miss the next big important meeting.

In any case, if it feels like waking up in the dark is a tougher leap than to another planet, remember: you’re not alone. Many of us would love to stay under the covers for just a little while longer, maybe watching one more episode of that ridiculous reality show. So here’s a thought: How about we start a new trend? Alarm clocks, much like the summer sun, should come with a snooze button for just a few more zzz’s… What do you reckon, world?