The seasons govern our sleep and moods

Do you feel like you sleep harder in the winter and your mood often changes with the weather? A new study from the University of Michigan confirms that our bodies still live in the rhythm of nature, adjusting to the changing seasons, despite electric light and modern conveniences.

Scientists have found out that our internal biological ‘clockwork’ feels the length of daylight and it affects many processes in the body – from sleep to mood. It turned out that we are real seasonal creatures, although sometimes we try not to recognise it.

Paying attention to this topic will help us better understand why some people experience seasonal depression and how mood swings are related to changes in light and seasons. This opens up new ways to combat mood disorders and even metabolic and heart-related problems.

A team of researchers analysed data from thousands of medics who wore special gadgets that tracked activity and sleep over the course of a year. The peculiarity of this group is that they have constantly changing work schedules, and therefore – and sleep patterns, often conflicting with the natural rhythm.

It is interesting that each person’s body has not one, but two ‘hours’ at once: one is orientated to the dawn, the other to the sunset. They are constantly ‘talking’ to each other, helping us to adapt to the daylight hours.

In addition, scientists have discovered genetic differences that affect how much the change of season affects each of us. For some people adaptation is easy, but for others the change can be a real challenge.

In the future, experts plan to further explore these genetic traits to understand how to keep people healthy and comfortable, especially those who work in shifts or live in places with sharp seasonal changes.