Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Do humans need to hibernate, too? What the research shows
Do you sleep longer or better in winter? Most people seem to do. As the
sun sets earlier and rises later, people naturally fall asleep earlier and wake
up later, not to mention that staying in bed on a cold morning is a luxury. According
to a study conducted among 188 patients in Berlin, the participants of the
sleep studies did get 30 minutes or longer rapid eye movement, known as REM,
sleep during winter. REM sleep, which is highly affected by light and darkness,
restores the mind and is important for both learning and memory. Unlike bears,
humans do not need to hibernate during winter to conserve energy but can enjoy
extra time in bed by taking advantage of longer dark hours. So, if you want to
sleep longer and better in summer, make sure that your bedroom shuts off lights
completely and darken your room earlier.
Read the article and learn about why we sleep longer in winter.
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