If you struggle with winter sleep issues, you’re not alone. Shorter days, colder nights, and less sunlight can all disrupt your natural sleep-wake rhythm. Add in the fall time change, and your internal clock can get completely thrown off. Many people feel groggy during the day, wired at night, and generally out of sync.
At the same time, you might find yourself sleeping more in winter than usual. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re one of the many adults in the U.S. who don’t get enough quality sleep year-round. Your body may be asking for more rest, and it’s smart to pay attention.
Better sleep often starts with better habits, and we’re going to show you how to sleep better in winter with a few simple changes, from upgrading your bedding to adopting a wind-down routine before bed.
Increase exposure to light.
Your brain relies on light to stay on schedule, so shorter days can trigger winter insomnia. When daylight drops, your circadian rhythm loses the clear signals it needs to keep you alert in the morning and sleepy at night. Without enough light, you may feel sluggish during the day and restless at night.
You can offset the seasonal dip in light by stepping outside early in the day. Open your blinds, sip your coffee near a window, take a brisk morning walk, or try a light therapy lamp. If you feel unusually down or struggle with low energy or motivation during winter, talk with your doctor about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to reduced light exposure.
Upgrade your bedding.
Your bedding plays a big role in how well you sleep, especially when outside temps start to shift. Heavy fabrics and outdated materials can trap heat and moisture against your skin, causing temperature swings that wake you up. Invest in performance bedding that’s specifically designed to regulate your body temperature.
The best cooling sheets are made with materials that actively pull heat and moisture away from your skin, for cooler, drier sleep. Quality performance bedding can reduce nighttime wakeups and increase the amount of deep sleep you get—the most important and restorative phase of the sleep cycle.
Midnight Label Sheet Set
$215.40
$359.00
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Get more physical activity.
When it’s cold and dark, your instinct may be to slow down. But more sedentary hours indoors can leave you feeling restless at night, so you may need to kick your daily exercise routine up a notch.
You don’t need to run a marathon every week. Adding a short brisk walk or strength training session to your normal exercise routine can make a big difference. The goal is to burn through all those energy reserves, so your body is more primed for rest at night.
Change the time of day you exercise.
If you exercise at night but struggle to fall asleep, it may come down to timing. Evening workouts can raise cortisol and adrenaline levels, which makes it harder for your body to power down, especially if you’ve moved your bedtime earlier for winter.
Try shifting your workouts to the morning or early afternoon. You’ll still get the energy boost and mood support from movement, but your body will have more time to transition into rest mode by nightfall.
Use a humidifier or nasal rinse.
Dry winter air can irritate your nose, throat, and sinuses, making it harder to breathe smoothly while you sleep. This can lead to snoring, nighttime wakeups, and grogginess in the morning.
If you live in an area with especially dry winters, try adding a humidifier to your bedroom to restore moisture to the air. And if you struggle with congestion or post-nasal drip, a nasal rinse can make a big difference. Comfortable breathing means better, uninterrupted rest.
Make sure your bedroom isn’t too warm.
Your instinct might be to crank up the heat on chilly nights, but this could be working against your sleep. That’s because to fall and stay asleep, your body needs to cool down. Keep your bedroom on the cooler side, either by cracking a window or turning down the thermostat.
Choose bedding that insulates without causing you to overheat. A layered sleep system with temperature-regulating sheets and a lightweight cooling comforter and duvet can help keep you warm and cozy while still allowing good airflow. Breathable bedding prevents hotspots that can lead to tossing and turning and nighttime wakeups.
Arctic Aire•MAX Diamond Collection Quilt
$99.50
$199.00
Description Details Care The SHEEX® Arctic Aire•MAX Diamond Collection Quilt combine subtle sophistication with advanced comfort. Designed with a classic diamond stitch pattern, this set adds an elegant touch to any bedroom while delivering the lightweight comfort you crave.Crafted from… read more
Limit screen time at night.
Screens emit blue light, which can suppress production of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep. In winter, when natural light is already limited, the effect can be even more severe.
Avoid screens at least an hour before bed. If that’s not realistic, use blue light filters or glasses designed to block blue light. Also, dim the lights in the evening to cue your brain that it’s time to start winding down.
Create a wind-down routine.
Dark evenings can lead to busier minds. A calming bedtime routine sends a signal to your body that it’s time to relax. The easier your wind-down routine is, the more likely you are to follow it. Don’t try to do a 30-minute mindfulness meditation session if it’s not practical.
Take a warm shower, stretch gently, read a few pages of a book, or listen to relaxing music. Stay off your phone and keep the lights low. Even 15 to 30 minutes of intentional winding down can make a noticeable difference in how easily you fall asleep.
Sleep Better in Winter With SHEEX®
Learning how to sleep better in winter starts with knowing how light, temperature, activity, and daily habits affect your rhythm. Start with the easy stuff. If you or your partner sleeps hot at night, upgrade to SHEEX® performance bedding.
Engineered to wick away moisture and pull heat away from your skin up to 10x better than cotton, SHEEX® bedding can help prevent the nighttime tossing and turning and sleep disruptions that leave you feeling groggy in the morning. Find out why SHEEX® is the best and take our SLEEP•FIT® Quiz to find out which cooling sheet set is right for you.
Original Performance Duvet Cover
$167.40
$279.00
Description Details Care The ideal companion to our SHEEX® Performance Cooling Comforter & Performance All Season Comforter, the SHEEX® Performance Cooling Duvet Cover features exclusive SLEEP•FIT® Technology to provide comfort-enhancing benefits that work seamlessly with our Performance Fabric Sheets to… read more
