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How to Avoid Chronic Tiredness When the Clocks go Back

How to Avoid Chronic Tiredness When the Clocks go Back
General

It’s official, we’re a nation of yawners.

Nearly one in two of us is getting by on just six hours of sleep a night, meaning, 50% of the UK population is suffering from chronic sleep deprivation—or close to it. Rewinding the clock to the first half of the 20th Century and it was wildly different. Back then it’s thought that over 90% of us were getting a proper night’s sleep. That’s eight hours of uninterrupted, refreshing rest. Something we desperately crave nowadays.

Where did it all go wrong? Electricity & Circadian Rhythms

The attack on sleep started with electric lighting. Whilst it’s wonderful not to be stumbling around, stubbing toes to find a candle, electric light does have its negatives.

A perfect analogy are chickens...

During a solar eclipse chickens head to their coop, to bed down—only to continue pecking minutes later. For them, as purely instinctual creatures, light means wake, dark means sleep. It’s immediate and inflexible.

This might sound silly, but it’s a prime example of a circadian rhythm in action. This is a 24-hour repeating biological process controlled by the light-dark cycle. Sleep is one of these. The lives of chickens, like all animals, apart from those under our roofs, are entwined with sun-up, sun-down.

However, as humans we’ve conquered the darkness and the light. If it’s dark, we use electricity. If it’s too light, we black the photons out. We say good day to circadian rhythms. When the sky darkens, we don’t think “oh best go to bed”. We think nothing of it. We go to bed when we want.

The kicker is that we’re no different to other animals and still have a sleep cycle linked to light and dark. This is biologically coded into us. Simply put, our bodies still want us to sleep when the sun goes down, only we ignore this and degrade our sleep time with electric lighting.

Work Not Sleep & Always Connected

How many hours do you work in a week? For those of us in the 9-5 it’s supposed to be between 37 and 40. But, many people report working crazily long hours 60-70-80 hour weeks—a worrying return to the start of industrialisation.

The point of the 8-hour day...

...was to tackle the hideous, unregulated power companies had over their employees.

Most of us may not be in intolerable factories, but we work long hours, sometimes into the night. Plus, when we do “finish” we’re still available via email and social media. The boundaries between work and home have eroded.

Rest, and sleep, and recuperation are seen in some company cultures as a weakness. It’s a brag to work late, turn up early and still deliver results. Sleep is for the weak.

With work, family and friends, and entertainment—of an evening—sleep and relaxation are too often the compromise.

Will the Clocks Going Back Make This Worse?

We’re already surviving on six hours. It’s not great by any means, but we’re relatively accustomed to our sleep deprivation. We yawn, we drink coffee, and we desire a lie in. However, mess with our tenuous sleep pattern and we start to lose focus, become irritable, and even erratic.

Fall backwards: how will it affect you?

Many of us will see the clocks going back as a welcome extra hour of snoozing; a much awaited lie-in. 

Many will not even notice the shift or have the mind marker of turning the clock back. Our phone will automatically update. Life will be the same, except we’ll wake up in the dark.

However, if you struggle with sleep, the change may disrupt your sleep (or lack of) routine even further and leave you seriously sleep deprived.

How to Avoid Tiredness & Get Better Sleep

The first thing you can do to ease your tiredness is reduce your intake of sugar, wine, gluten, and dairy (if you consume them). These are known to cause hormonal inflammation which leads to poor quality sleep. Instead, try switching to a more plant-based diet and swapping wine for spirits. In moderation of course.

Secondly eat fatty foods...

Although fat has been demonised for a long time, low fat diets are not conducive to great sleep. The hormones which help us sleep are made of fat, so not eating enough of it contributes to an imbalance. Eating fat doesn’t mean cakes and biscuits or overly processed foods, it means eating avocado, oily fish, seeds, and nuts.

Thirdly make sure you exercise regularly. The problem for so many of us is feeling mentally tired, but “awake” from overstimulation. Exercise requires a minimal mental input and expends physical energy, so quieting our minds and relaxing our bodies. Sleep after exercise is deep, restorative sleep. The best type bar none.

Fourthly, stop checking your phone before bedtime! Not only is it over stimulating, but the harsh white light is playing with your circadian rhythm.

Perhaps It’s Time for a Break Too

Sometimes we need to give ourselves a rest intervention. We’re go, go, go, and frequently as a society end up neglecting ourselves, becoming unwell, depressed, and anxious. Playing a big part in this is us not getting anywhere near enough authentic down time.

This isn’t party time, it’s relaxation time.

We do go on holiday, sure, but frequently this is not the chill time we’d envisioned. Exhausting flights, tourist attraction hopping, fitting in as much as possible for fear of missing out. Sound familiar?

How About a Refreshing Coastal Staycation?

Travel to the wild, secluded Exmoor coast and stay with us at the Porlock Weir hotel.

We’re truly a world away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. We have beautifully comfortable rooms, because we firmly believe in a good night’s sleep and delicious seasonal dining.

With us you can relax and have a genuine breather, recharging yourself, before returning to your every day with a renewed energy.

Stroll along peaceful shores, amongst moorland heather, and under vast Exmoor skies. Eat well, sleep well, be well.

What our guests say...

"Wonderful Two Nights Stay" - HolidaychicLondon via Tripadvisor.co.uk

We had room 4 looking out to the harbour. The room was spacious and attractively decorated. The breakfast were very nice, a very long wait the first morning though but not the second one - so all good. We had dinner there one evening which was delicious and great service and everything about the hotel is Covid friendly. The staff and guests all wear masks when moving around the hotel, there’...

"Lovely Staycation Find" - Rob A via Tripadvisor.co.uk

Just spent 3 nights here in these difficult times we now live in. Faultless is the word I would use to describe Porlock Weir Hotel from the time you book until the time you leave they can’t do enough to accommodate you. Under the leadership of Michell and Miquel the hotel is run impeccably from front of house to housekeeping nothing less than 10/10 and that’s before you get to dine where...

"A Fantastic Find" - Lorraine via Booking.com

Stylish make-over, good staff, excellent food - breakfast was superb. We stumbled across the hotel by accident, a fantastic accident! Lovely little harbour with amazing views. The hotel was freshly made over, the staff could not have been more pleasant and helpful. Wood fired pizzas freshly made on the patio. Would highly recommend. ...

"Just Like Home" - Justhadtosay via Tripadvisor.co.uk

Fabulous hotel which is hard to fault. As someone there said, you feel like the first person to use the room. Beautiful rooms and bathrooms and we had a view of the sea and bay which was just what we needed.We had a long walk one day which was such a tonic after working at home for so long. In our arrival back it was like getting home with a log fire, friendly welcome and home made cream tea.The staff...

"Wonderfully Spoiling, Relaxing Break" - Penny V via Tripadvisor.co.uk

We have been coming to this hotel for many years and have seen it through many reincarnations. We are so happy that the current management has taken this much-loved treasure over and given it such a wonderful new lease of life. We stayed for 3 days with our dog. The staff were absolutely delightful and went out of their way to ensure that we were all safe in a way that was so unobtrusive that we almost...

"Exceptional in Every Way!" - MJM48 via Tripadvisor.co.uk

From the moment we walked in we knew we had made the right choice - such a warm, friendly welcome. The hotel was beautifully decorated for Christmas and with the lovely open fires made us feel festive. Our room overlooking the harbour was absolutely lovely, spacious and spotlessly clean. The bed was very comfortable, shower excellent. We had dinner both nights of our stay, good quality ingredients...

"Dog Friendly Birthday Break" - Ardel R via Tripadvisor.co.uk

Lovely hotel with wonderful views over Porlock Weir, food was great and staff lovely, friendly and dog fans too. So a perfect break all round. We stayed in October and had a room with views out over the sea. We took our golden retriever with us and the place is very dog friendly with towels to clean their muddy feet if needed....

"A Peaceful Relaxing Place to Chill Out" - Joanna via Booking.com

Stunning, peaceful setting alongside a quaint little harbour and pebble beach. The secluded hamlet down country lanes offered a couple of shops and a good pub next door. The small hotel did not disappoint! Undergoing extensive refurbishment, the overall ambiance was stylish but relaxed with a modern twist on traditional. The completed bedrooms were relaxing and comfortable and our bed provided a ...

"Hotel Top Of It's Game" - Nocky-1975 - via Tripadvisor.co.uk

Just spent 3 nights here in these difficult times we now live in. Faultless is the word I would use to describe Porlock Weir Hotel from the time you book until the time you leave they can’t do enough to accommodate you. Under the leadership of Michell and Miquel the hotel is run impeccably from front of house to housekeeping nothing less than 10/10 and that’s before you get to dine where...
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