On the last Sunday in October, the clocks go back an hour. Summer finally gives way to autumn, and shorter days and darker nights are on the horizon. Winter and hibernation are just around the corner too.
Ever wondered how to remember if the clocks go back or forward? Top tip: they ‘Spring’ Forward… and ‘Fall’ back….. whilst we call it Autumn rather than Fall here in the UK, I find this a useful reminder 🙂
It happens at the same time every year, but have you ever wondered why?
Why the clocks go back
Well, an Edwardian builder named William Willett introduced the idea of British Summer Time, also known as Daylight Saving Time, in 1907. A keen supporter of the outdoors, he noticed that during the summer people were still asleep when the sun had risen and wanted to stop Brits from wasting valuable daylight hours. Back then the clocks were set to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) meaning it was light by 3 am and dark at 9 pm midsummer.
So he published a pamphlet called ‘The Waste of Daylight’ in a bid to get people out of bed earlier by changing the nation’s clocks, arguing it would not only improve health and happiness but it would save the country a great deal of money.
The UK introduced British Summer Time / British Daylight Time hours in 1916 – allowing everyone to enjoy the perks of summer with more time to enjoy the daylight.
How does the clock change affect our sleep?
As nights draw in and days turn cool, autumn brings its own set of sleep challenges for those who struggle to snooze. Shorter days can mean less exposure to sunlight. This means lower levels of vitamin D and increased feelings of fatigue – as well as disrupting our’ circadian rhythm’, which regulates feelings of being awake or sleepy.
Changing temperatures, from the crisp chill air outside to cosy warm inside can also have a significant impact on our ability to sleep well. Whilst it may be tempting to light the fire and crank up the heating, Letting the bedroom, in particular, get too warm can mess with sleep: too hot and the body struggles to bring its temperature back down, causing you to wake or struggle to fall asleep. Too cold and the body will eventually wake you up – wanting you to wrap up with extra layers of insulation!
How does this affect our mental health?
Lack of exposure to daylight and decent sleep can have a huge impact on our overall wellbeing. But for some, the seasonal change can be really difficult.
While it’s normal to feel low sometimes, people who suffer from Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) will feel persistently low during certain months of the year. SAD is a type of depression that can set in when daylight hours grow shorter and is thought to affect one in 15 people between the months of September and April in the UK each year. While the cause of SAD is still unknown, the disorder can alter melatonin levels, which play a role in the sleep/wake cycle and cause daytime sleepiness and oversleeping.
Symptoms to look out for include:
- Persistent low mood
- Irritability
- Tiredness and lack of energy
- Change in appetite
- Reduced motivation
Tips to improve or reduce symptoms
There are a number of simple things you can try that may help improve your symptoms, including:
- try to get as much natural sunlight as possible – even a brief lunchtime walk can be beneficial
- make your home/work environment as light and airy as possible – open the curtains and blinds and let the natural light in
- get plenty of regular exercise, particularly outdoors and in daylight
- eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in Vitamin D – such as oily fish, red meat, egg yolks and some breakfast cereals. Vitamin D helps regulate our mood, and our bodies produce this from a mix of food and sunlight
- if possible, avoid stressful situations, and take steps to manage stress
- Stay connected – even though you may want to hibernate from the rest of the world, keeping in touch with friends will help
Sleep hygiene
It can be difficult to keep a regular sleeping pattern in the winter months, but small changes can have a big impact on your mental health. A regular routine and a good night’s sleep can make a huge difference to your general health and wellbeing.
- Create a sleep-friendly bedroom – ideally, a room that is dark, cool, quiet and comfortable, ensuring the bedroom is conducive to sleep (no gadgets and gizmos, avoid that blue light)
- Keep bedtime/waking times consistent – even at weekends – will all help. If you tend to rely on an alarm, try a lamp that simulates sunlight for a more gentle, less stressful wake-up
- Create a nighttime ritual – perhaps have a relaxing bath, or wind down with a book or some relaxing music.
- Eat regularly and sensibly – colder weather can also have us wanting to ‘comfort eat’ and have heavier meals as the temperatures drop – particularly close to bedtime. Too much food or drink (especially caffeine or alcohol), too close to bedtime is a sure-fire recipe for disturbed sleep, so try to avoid this.
- Keep a sleep diary – taking note of your routines and patterns can pinpoint day and nighttime habits that may contribute to your problems at night.
SAD is just one of many reasons people may struggle with their sleep, and in turn, their mood and wellbeing, and its not just limited to winter – SAD can affect people in summer months too. Other medical conditions such as sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome and epilepsy, to name just a few, can also cause sleep disturbances which in turn affects overall wellbeing.
Modern life is busy and technology-filled but we can all take steps to limit the impact that it has on our sleep patterns. We also need to realise that sleep problems are common and nobody needs to suffer in silence. With the correct diagnosis, the majority of sleep problems are easily treatable, and with understanding, we can take steps to better nights sleep and support others to do so.
What might you do this week to improve your sleep?
