During the early days of spring, warmer evenings, longer days, and earlier sunrises all seem like new beginnings, so keeping an eye on weather data is important. However, what about sleep? You may be drowsy in the morning and tossing and turning at night due to that seasonal shift.
No need to feel like you’re the only one if your recent sleep troubles you. Everyday schedule changes, allergens, and daylight savings time can all subtly throw off your body’s normal rhythm in the spring. The good news? Without completely changing your life, you can create a sleep schedule that promotes peaceful nights and simpler mornings with a few well-considered adjustments.
Let’s go over how to create a practical, doable, and truly restorative springtime sleep schedule.
The Impact Of Sleep During Seasonal Changes
Let’s start with the obvious, spring doesn’t give a damn about how much sleep you get. Your circadian rhythm tends to shift during this season. Your body produces melatonin later than usual when there is more sunshine; in other words, your internal “sleepy-time” hormone is snoozing. When allergies are added, you find yourself waking up at three in the morning and questioning whether you’re congested or dying.
Sleep is more than just avoiding fatigue. Everything is impacted. Immunity, mood, memory, and focus—yes, particularly during allergy season when your immune system is already exerting extra effort.
If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re not just irritable; you’re also disoriented, hazy, and somewhat emotional. Does that sound familiar?
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
The average adult requires 7 to 9 hours, but you may require more if you’re preparing for a marathon, managing stress, or, let’s face it, just humanizing a bit too much. Teens? They require more. Your grandmother? Most likely less.
Here’s a test: Do you feel like a wet burrito when you wake up? That is a warning sign. See how you truly feel, not just how long you slept. You can keep a sleep journal as well to monitor your sleeping patterns for a week.
Create A Sleep-Friendly Bedroom For Better Rest
It should be simpler, not harder, to fall asleep in your bedroom. Here’s how to organize your room to improve sleep:
- Remain Calm: For you to go to sleep, your body temperature must somewhat decrease. The optimal temperature range is 60–67°F.
- Turn Off the Light: When the sun rises sooner than you do, sleep masks or blackout curtains can be useful.
- Reduce The Noise: If you live next to a busy street or have erratic neighbors, a fan or white noise machine can help block out outside noise.
- Cut Back on Allergies: Dust and pollen are frequently carried by spring air. To control allergy problems, think about getting an air purifier or washing your mattress more often.
- Make A Comfort Investment: Pillows that fit your sleeping position and a supportive mattress can have a significant impact. It might be time for a change if you frequently wake up hurting or stiff.
Habits That Destroy Sleep
Even though they are innocuous during the day, some activities can disrupt your sleep at night. A few behaviors to be aware of:
- Spend Time On Screens: Blue light from TVs, iPads, and phones can decrease melatonin. Limit the amount of time you spend on screens an hour before bed.
- Late Dinners: Your digestive system should be closing down, but eating heavy or spicy foods too close to bedtime will keep it going. Try to eat dinner two or three hours before bed.
- Alcohol And Caffeine: Both may disrupt the quality of your sleep. Alcohol may help you fall asleep more quickly, but it frequently interferes with deeper sleep stages, whereas coffee keeps you attentive.
- Relaxing Activities: Swap out stimulus for relaxation, such as reading quietly, stretching gently, or enjoying soothing podcasts or music. Your body receives a signal from these little routines when it’s time to sleep.
When to Seek Help?
It might be time to see a professional if you’ve tried making adjustments and still have trouble sleeping or staying asleep. A more serious problem, such as sleep apnea or a circadian rhythm disruption, may be indicated by persistent sleeplessness, restless legs, loud snoring, or frequent awakenings.
Beyond lifestyle advice, a sleep specialist can do tests and provide treatments. Therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) can fix or improve your sleeping. It does not even require medication.
Final Words
Warmer nights and longer days are pleasant, but Spring can also disrupt your sleep. However, you can improve your sleep quality by making some actionable adjustments to your surroundings, creating routines, and paying attention to your body’s demands. Consider your sleep schedule as a support system instead of a to-do list. Everything else becomes somewhat simpler when your sleep is functioning well.
