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In certain areas of the world, people spend their winters in 24-hour darkness. Depending on the region, whole communities go days, weeks, or even months without ever seeing the sun. But while you may think that a complete lack of sunlight would spell trouble for Arctic residents' sleep patterns, most of the time people who live in the northernmost reaches of the world are able to adapt to the point their sleep doesn't suffer.
In fact, people living in non-polar regions of the world may have a thing or two to learn about sleep from those living at the poles. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
In the northernmost parts of the world (think the Nordic countries, Russia, Canada, and Alaska), the sun stays below the horizon for much of the winter.
The people living there go for weeks, if not months, every year without seeing the sun. This period of 24-hour darkness is referred to as the "polar night."
The length of the polar night varies by location. For example, in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, the polar night lasts just two days during the winter solstice.
At the other end of the spectrum, the military servicemen stationed in Nunavut, the northernmost territory of Canada, live in darkness for almost four months of the year.
The polar night can be very beautiful, not least because of the colors that appear in the sky. It is worth noting that even in the middle of the polar night it is not pitch black.
Rather, the sun's rays filter intermittently and weakly through the atmosphere, creating amazing twilight shades of blue, pink, and purple.
Living in places that experience polar night is not without its challenges, however. Some people find, for example, that the lack of sunlight can cause mood drops and depression.
People living in the Arctic also face unique challenges when it comes to getting enough sleep. Indeed, studies have shown that the constant darkness of the polar night can delay the normal sleep-wake cycle.
However, evidence suggests that people living in these far corners of the world have largely become acclimatized to the drastically shifting seasons.
It is therefore worth questioning whether we might have something to learn from Arctic residents about our own sleep patterns and quality of sleep.
One of the biggest challenges associated with perpetual winter darkness is that it wreaks havoc on our melatonin production.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain as the light dims. It prepares our bodies for sleep and plays a crucial role in maintaining the sleep-wake cycle.
Studies have shown that people who live in the Arctic experience a large spike in their melatonin production at the peak of the polar night.
This would be a problem, were it not for the fact that researchers have found a way to realign a person's melatonin production using artificial lighting.
Of course, artificial lighting can never fully replicate the levels of sunlight that would be required to maintain a stable sleep pattern.
However, studies show that by using only soft lighting, and by gradually reducing the amount of light we are exposed to in the two hours before bed, we can help improve the quality of our sleep.
Many people who live in the Arctic swear by soft lighting in the evening as they prepare to go to bed. It stimulates melatonin production in the same way as having a session in a sauna or taking a hot bath.
Exercise is another factor known to influence sleep. Studies show, for example, that exercise is particularly good for our circadian rhythm if we do it in the morning.
According to a group of students in Alta, northern Norway, there may also be sleep benefits to adopting a regular exercise regime.
The students' research suggests that by exercising regularly (for example, by doing a stint on the treadmill at the same time every day), we can help reduce the amount of melatonin our brains produce in the afternoon.
The result is that we are less likely to become sleepy in the afternoon, and therefore more likely to become sleepy at night when it is actually time to go to bed.
There has also been research conducted in the Nordic nations, Canada, and the US that looks at the importance of following a daily schedule when it comes to getting enough sleep.
According to Heli Koskimäki, head of future physiology at Finland-based technology company Oura Health, people tend to sleep better when they follow a daily schedule according to their chronotype.
Essentially this means that if you are a morning person, you will sleep better if you go to bed earlier and get up earlier. If you are an evening person, the opposite is true.
Of course, modern society tends to favor morning people in the sense that the business day starts early in the morning.
If you are an evening person struggling to cope in a morning person's world, Koskimäki’s advice is to at least be as consistent as possible with your sleep schedule.
Finally, there is also evidence to suggest that humans actually need more sleep in the winter than they do in the summer.
If you have the luxury of being able to do so, try to take things more slowly during the winter and allow yourself to get a bit more rest.
Sources: (BBC)
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In certain areas of the world, people spend their winters in 24-hour darkness. Depending on the region, whole communities go days, weeks, or even months without ever seeing the sun. But while you may think that a complete lack of sunlight would spell trouble for Arctic residents' sleep patterns, most of the time people who live in the northernmost reaches of the world are able to adapt to the point their sleep doesn't suffer.
In fact, people living in non-polar regions of the world may have a thing or two to learn about sleep from those living at the poles. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.