HEALTH & WELLBEING: Winter Tiredness

If you find it harder to roll out of bed in winter when the temperature drops and the mornings are darker, you're not alone.

There are energy-giving solutions that may help you to reduce winter tiredness. As the days become shorter, your sleep and waking cycles may become disrupted. The lack of sunlight means your brain produces more of a hormone called melatonin, which makes you sleepy. Open your blinds or curtains as soon as you get up to let more sunlight into your home, and get outdoors in natural daylight as much as possible. Try to take even just a brief lunchtime walk, and make sure your work and home environments are as light and airy as possible.

Getting enough undisturbed sleep is vital for fighting off winter tiredness.

It's tempting to go into hibernation mode when winter hits, but that sleepy feeling you get doesn't mean you should snooze for longer. In fact, if you sleep too much, chances are you'll feel even more sluggish during the day.

Exercise may be the last thing you want to do when you're feeling tired on dark winter evenings. But you might be surprised by how energetic you feel after getting involved in some kind of physical activity every day. Exercise in the late afternoon may help to reduce early-evening fatigue and also improve your sleep.

It's important to make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet. Once the summer ends, there's a temptation to ditch the salads and fill up on starchy foods such as pasta, potatoes and bread. However, you'll have more energy if you include plenty of fruit and vegetables in your comfort meals.

If your tiredness is stopping you from going about your normal life, or goes on for a long time, you may need to get advice from a health professional.

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