Give those who have trouble getting up a justifiable reason: If you love to stay in bed in winter, it is your body that is "protecting" you

It is so difficult to get up in the morning in winter. I believe that many people will experience a "struggle" with the quilt when they get up in the morning. Even if the alarm clock keeps ringing, they are reluctant to leave the warm and comfortable quilt and always want to stay in for a while. So is it really because of laziness that people have difficulty getting up in winter?

No! There is a scientific basis for staying in bed late in winter!

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01

In winter, falling temperatures and shorter daylight hours can affect sleep

One important reason we need sleep is to maintain energy. Cold environments often require more energy consumption. In order to reduce energy consumption, people often instinctively choose to hide in a warm bed. Studies have found that compared to the awake state, the human body actively adjusts its body temperature to a lower level during sleep, and when it is about to wake up, the body temperature begins to slowly recover. If the weather is cold, it takes more time for the body temperature to recover and wake people up from sleep. [1]

The duration of light exposure will affect the secretion of melatonin. Melatonin is an indole hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. Its main function is to regulate the biological clock and induce sleep. Its synthesis and its own rhythm are controlled by the light cycle. When night falls, light stimulation weakens, melatonin secretion increases, and people will feel sleepy and fall asleep; during the day, when there is sufficient light, melatonin secretion decreases, and people enter a wakeful state. At 6 o'clock in the morning, the sun has already risen in the summer, but it is still dark at 6 o'clock in the winter. Therefore, at the same time of getting up in winter, the melatonin level in the human body remains high due to the weak light stimulation, making people relatively sleepier. [1]

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02

Winter habits that keep you in bed

In winter, people tend to close doors and windows to keep warm. This makes the indoor environment relatively closed. After a night of metabolism, the carbon dioxide concentration in the room will increase. The increased carbon dioxide concentration will reduce our sleep quality, make us drowsy and have difficulty getting up in the morning. [2]

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In addition to closing doors and windows, everyone will cover themselves with thick quilts when sleeping in winter. This thick quilt will also make us sleep more soundly and want to stay in bed more.

Studies have found that deep pressure stimulation can improve sleep. For example, if you sleep under a heavy blanket (6 to 8 kg), your sleep will improve significantly in a month and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. This is because pressure stimulation can excite the body's parasympathetic nerves, reduce breathing and pulse rates, and quickly calm the body, thereby producing a calming effect, reducing the body's alertness, relieving stress, and promoting sleep. At the same time, pressure stimulation can also promote the body to secrete more melatonin and serotonin, reduce cortisol, relieve tension, and sleep better. [3]

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03

Proper bed rest is good for our body

Winter is the peak season for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and early morning is the peak time for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

After waking up in the morning, the body changes from a resting state to an awake state. The vasoconstriction factors in the blood increase significantly, the heart rate increases, and the cardiac output also increases, which often leads to a peak in blood pressure. If you get up too quickly, the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases will increase. In addition, some people have weak blood pressure regulation functions. When they suddenly change from lying down to standing upright when they get up, they are prone to orthostatic hypotension. The rapid drop in blood pressure can cause dizziness, fainting and other health hazards. [4]

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In winter, the temperature difference between inside and outside the bed is large. If you get up from the bed right after waking up, the cold environment around you will also stimulate the human body and cause blood pressure fluctuations. Therefore, staying in bed for a while can give the body enough time to adapt to the temperature difference between inside and outside the bed.

04

Since staying in bed late is so important, how can we stay in bed late correctly?

Although staying in bed late is beneficial, it should be done in moderation. The recommended time for staying in bed late is generally 15-30 minutes. If you stay in bed for too long, you may fall asleep again, which is not conducive to wakefulness. Staying in bed for a long time may also make you miss breakfast. For those who have difficulty getting up, the alarm clock must be set carefully. The sound can be softer and more soothing to avoid being too harsh. The volume can be set to gradually increase to allow the brain to adapt.

After your brain has adapted, divide waking up into three steps:

Lie down for a while after the alarm rings: After being woken up by the alarm, we can take our time to get up. Lie down for a few minutes to adapt to the surrounding environment and give the body some time to “turn on”.

Sit down after getting up: When our brain is clear, we can get ready to get up. Sit down on the bed for a while, and lean on a pillow. This can avoid obvious fluctuations in blood pressure caused by rapid changes in body position.

Sit by the bed and wait: Before we get up, put our legs on the bed and sit for a while, move our feet and arms, and stretch. This can increase blood circulation in the limbs, avoid numbness and stiffness in the limbs after a night, and fully wake up our body.

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After getting up and getting dressed, draw the curtains to let the sunlight in, open the window to ventilate, breathe in some fresh air, and give your body a signal "I'm awake", and you can start a day full of energy.

Next, please straighten your back and stay in bed!

References

[1] Zhao Zhongxin. Sleep Medicine[M] Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2016

[2] Wang Mei, Zhang Xiaojing, Luo Guanzhang, et al. Study on the correlation between bedroom environment and sleep quality during heating season in Beijing[J]. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, 2023, 53(4): 143-148. DOI: 10.19991/j.hvac1971.2023.04.23.

[3] Wang Xiaoli, Zou Xinping, Zhang Ziyan, et al. Research progress on physical therapy intervention for sleep disorders[J]. Science, Technology and Engineering, 2023, 23(27): 11477-11485. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1671-1815.2023.27.001.

[4] Qi Jintao, Ding Biyun. A brief discussion on the current status of research on the morning peak of blood pressure[J]. Journal of Clinical Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017, 29(10): 1767-1770. DOI: 10.16448/j.cjtcm.2017.0588.

Author: Chen Liji, attending physician of the Department of Neurology, Shanghai Pudong District Central Hospital

Editor in charge: 91

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