Why we are sleepier in the monsoon season

Read this if you feel sleepy all the time during monsoons.

The constant downpour and the gloomy atmosphere makes us want to snuggle up in bed with a warm blanket during monsoon. No wonder monsoons make us sleepy and we have to put in more effort to get out of the bed and get going. But know it is not you; it is the weather that is keeping you from making a fresh start early in the morning and probably keeping you low throughout the day. Monsoons are known to make you lethargic and lazy to an extent. Here Dr Preeti Devnani Sleep Therapist for Sleep@10, A Godrej Interio Initiative, explains why you feel sleepy during the monsoons.

Lack of sunlight: A gloomy cloudy day means less of sunlight reaching to you. Know that the sun regulates our bodily rhythms and clock and keeps our body in tune with the environment. Sunrays are known to regulate secretion of melatonin, the sleep hormone. When exposed to sunlight, the melatonin secretion in our body decreases which helps us to stay awake. In the rainy season, when we hardly get exposed to sunlight this causes melatonin in our body to increase thus making us feel sluggish and sleepy.

High humidity: The amount of vapour present in the air is high during the monsoons. Higher humidity makes us sweat which in turn causes discomfort during sleep. Moisture in the air also makes the weather favourable for damp and mould to thrive, especially indoors. If you are prone to allergic reactions, it may affect your health badly. All these can contribute to a poor night's sleep during the monsoons. And inadequate sleep at night directly causes sleepiness throughout the day.

The rhythmic sound of rains: Slow rhythmic sounds have an extremely pacifying effect on our mind. Even new-born babies fall asleep well to the lilt of a lullaby. During monsoons, the slow, cadenced sound of raindrops falling to the ground creates an environment that induces sleep even during daytime. On the other hand, an abrupt sound or trigger can jolt us out of our sleep. Booming sounds of thunder and lightning occurring at night can disturb sleep cycle making it impossible for some to go back to sleep again.

Eating foods that are high in fats: A cloudy lazy day always makes us reach for our comfort foods which are usually high in fat and carbohydrates and these foods do nothing to energise us. A pale of pakora or samosa was never meant to give you bursts of energy to help you pull through the day. These foods are to be blamed for making you a couch potato during monsoons. Consuming fats causes a sudden rise followed by a sudden fall in blood sugar levels which leads to bouts of low energy.

What you can do:

To help yourself get fresh and stay alert during monsoons follow these tips by Dr Devnani,

Get some exercise: Be it outdoors or indoors, try to sweat it out without giving yourself any excuse. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel upbeat. The 'high' that you feel from an hour of intense exercise is bound to keep you alert for the rest of the day.

Have foods rich in protein: Eat foods that are rich in proteins and fibre like fruits, legumes and nuts which nourish the body and help you stay active despite the weather.

Get some sunlight whenever you can: Even though the sun plays hide and seek with clouds, try to step out in between showers whenever the sky is clear. Any amount of sunshine or natural light hitting your optic nerve releases melatonin hormone that controls wakefulness.

Image source: Shutterstock