We’re starting to see the first signs of Spring! The days are lighter, the breeze is slightly warmer, yet we feel sleepier than ever. What’s that about?
When the brighter days start to appear, we hope that we’ll have a surge of energy after leaving our semi-hibernative winter state behind. Yet many of us fall victim to substantial sleepiness as the seasons fluctuate. According to Natalie Dautovich, Ph.D., an environmental scholar with the National Sleep Foundation, much of this drowsiness is because our bodies take time to adjust our sleep-wake cycles to match the new season patterns.
Recognising the elements that are affecting your sleep may help you turn that spring sleepiness into the energy you so desire.
- New flowers = Allergy Season
New Flowers blossoming is beautiful, but they can trigger allergies in many of us that can present us from reaching the deeper, more restorative phases of sleep during the springtime. A 2013 study from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America found that 59% of people who suffer from nasal allergies also struggle with their sleep quality due to their symptoms.
- Noisy Wildlife
We know how important it is to have a healthy sleeping environment: cool, dark and quiet. While we can keep our phones out of the bedroom, we have little control over the birds outside the bedroom window that are ready to chirp away at 5 o’clock in the morning. If external noise seems to be the biggest sleep killer for you, consider investing in something to help minimise the external noise.
- Sunshine
The days are growing longer, but it doesn’t quite seem this way in the morning just yet. Light plays a very important role in helping us to feel alert and awake, so when we wake up during the dark period, that’s not our body’s natural desire. To help with that, make sure to be exposed to sufficient bright light during the day, especially during the morning, to help with those feelings of alertness.
- Changing Routines
With brighter, longer days coming, a new sense of optimism about the number of things we can accomplish in 24 hours begins to emerge. You might be inclined to exercise in the evening thanks to additional daylight but doing high-intensity activities too close to bedtime can affect the body’s slow-down process. The key to protecting your sleep quality is to keep your daily regimen as consistent as possible.
The importance of sleep inspired the development of Silent Nights, one of LifeWave’s most popular patch products. With no drugs or pills to take, Silent Nights is clinically shown to increase length of sleep by 66%.