Some winter mornings, the temperatures outside would encourage us to stay under the duvet! But beyond the simple lack of motivation to face the cold, it seems that our sleep needs do vary with the seasons. This is suggested by a recent German study published in the journal Frontiers.
Sleep: a vital need
Indispensable to the physical recovery of the body, sleep also plays an important role in the restoration of energy, hormonal secretions or the elimination of toxins from the body. This shows how the quality of sleep has direct consequences on the quality of life of the individual.
According to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), an adult aged 18 to 64 needs at least seven hours of sleep per night. However, it would seem that our sleep needs vary with the seasons with a noticeably longer sleep period in winter. At least that’s what a recent German study published in the journal Frontiers.
Sleep needs that vary with the seasons
To carry out this study, the researchers analyzed over a year the recordings of sleep duration and structure of more than 180 urban patients who came for a sleep assessment at the Charité Medical University clinic in Berlin. These patients were not taking medications affecting sleep cycles, had to fall asleep at the usual time and were prohibited from setting an alarm clock in the morning. The objective was to estimate their real sleep needs. The scientists then carried out a three-night medical examination called “polysomnography” on 292 patients with neuropsychiatric sleep disorders to assess the quality and duration of each participant’s sleep.
To know ! Polysomnography is a comprehensive examination to study an individual’s sleep physiology. Its objective is to assess the possible presence of sleep disorders and to quantify them.
The researchers then found that the sleep architecture of the participants varied according to the seasons. with :
- A duration of paradoxical sleep naturally lengthened by half an hour per night compared to summer.
- A longer sleep time of up to an hour longer in winter than in summer.
To know ! REM sleep is when brain activity is close to that of the waking phase. Important for mental recovery, it is nicknamed “dream period” because it is at this time that the brain produces the most intense dreams and which have the best chance of being remembered upon waking.
The benefits of sleeping more in winter
If the authors agree that these results need to be deepened by means of a larger study, these first elements support the thesis of the existence of a seasonality of sleep with a feeling of slowing down during the winter : “Even though our performance remains unchanged, during the winter, human physiology is down-regulated, with a feeling of running empty in February or March.”
These results also confirm the essential role of light on our sleep rhythms. Therefore, for sleep to be in line with current seasonality, scientists recommend exposing yourself to daylight, particularly in the morning, and increasing your sleep time by going to bed for half an hour to an hour. earlier in the evening. What to keep a maximum of energy in reserve to face the winter!
Déborah L., Doctor of Pharmacy
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