We are entering the final stretch of the year, this is beginning to be noticed because little by little the weather is changing; the temperatures have dropped and the days are getting shorter.
That is why we are about to make the time change, leaving behind the summer time to make way for the winter time, something which has been done for decades with the intention of saving electrical energy but a modification to which human beings do not easily get used to.
With winter time we will have to move the clock back one hour; Generally, it is recommended to make the modification on Saturday night, prior to the Sunday of the change, and since an adaptation period is needed, you have Sunday to try to adapt and recover from said adjustment, without affecting your activities.
Despite these 24 hours “of grace” to adapt to the new schedule, is not enough. It is normal that the first few days after the time change, some people do not feel quite well; most are irritable, lack of concentration, poor work performance and insomnia.
But also, the change to winter time can have a certain impact on our health, which is important to consider.
Perhaps the short-term alterations are not as drastic as when we experience the change to summer time, where one hour of sleep is lost and there is greater sun exposure, which has implications for the body especially at the hormonal level. This is because due to the reduction of hours of sunlight during winter time, the secretion of melatonin increases, a hormone that is involved in the regulation of sleep and has hypnotic and relaxing effects. Also because it in turn reduces serotonin, with euphoric, well-being and hunger control effects.
How the change to winter time affects your health
1) Tiredness in the first few days. Our body is activated by light, so getting up when it is still dark produces a greater feeling of tiredness, which can last for most of the day. In addition, the one-hour delay also causes it to get dark earlier. The body begins to secrete melatonin earlier and therefore you are more sleepy when you are still active.
2) Sedentary lifestyle. Adapting to times with fewer hours of sunshine involves a significant increase in melatonin secretion, which makes us more relaxed and less active, with less appetite for physical exercise. A sedentary lifestyle leads to a higher risk of suffering some cardiovascular problem.
3) Weight gain. Derived from a sedentary lifestyle and from spending most of the time in closed places, you may register an increase in your body fat and therefore, be overweight. More so if you take into account that a hormone stimulated by sunlight such as serotonin lowers its levels in winter time. Serotonin is related to well-being and satisfaction, as well as the feeling of fullness when eating. Thus, it is possible that during winter time we feel more hungry.
4) Lack of vitamin D. One of the main sources from which we obtain this vitamin is sunlight. Despite the fact that there are various supplements, they are not completely effective, so it is best to find a space to get the sun.
5) Higher incidence of fractures. Given the low vitamin D, the body cannot assimilate the calcium provided by certain foods very well, so it is forced to take it from some bone reserves, decreasing bone density and increasing the risk of osteoporosis, so the probability of suffering a fracture is greater, especially people over 60 years old, particularly women.
6) Depression. With the decrease in the hours of sunlight, the secretion of serotonin decreases and that of melatonin increases. There are people who feel calmer and more relaxed at this time, but others need higher levels of serotonin, and other hormones secreted by the sun, so as not to fall into a depressive melancholic disorder, which is usually overcome in a few days or weeks. but that can become a chronic problem.
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