I briefly wanted to share my method for waking up easily in the winter. This is especially timely as the winter solstice is fast approaching (Dec 21 for 2016). In years past, I struggled waking up before the sunrise. When I moved north a four years ago, I had an especially difficult time adjusting to the short daylight hours in the winter. The subzero temperatures and snowstorms I could handle. The lack of sunlight was another matter. I woke up in the dark, went to work in the dark, spent my days inside and then went home in the dark. I could go the whole day and not see the sun. Every morning I would get wrenched out of a deep sleep by the jarring BEEP BEEP BEEP of my alarm clock. Not pleasant at all.
For some people, the long winters can actually cause a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The National Institute of Mental Health defines SAD:
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, typically starting in the late fall and early winter and going away during the spring and summer....Light therapy has been a mainstay of treatment for SAD since the 1980s. The idea behind light therapy is to replace the diminished sunshine of the fall and winter months using daily exposure to bright, artificial light. Symptoms of SAD may be relieved by sitting in front of a light box first thing in the morning, on a daily basis from the early fall until spring.
While I don't think I ever suffered from SAD, I did have problems waking up in the winter. At the time, my sister was living in Finland. The situation was even worse there, with only two hours of full daylight. I asked her how she managed to wake up in total darkness. As it turns out, the people of Northern Europe have a beautifully simple solution - the wake up light.
Instead of waking up to a harsh repeating noise, the wake-up light slowly turns on at the time you set. The lamp mimics the gradual brightening of a sunrise. This is a much more natural and gentle way to wake up in the morning. I have been using the lamp for three years now, and no longer have problems in the winter. My only problem is I can't take it with me when I have to travel!
If you find yourself struggling with dark winter mornings, a wake-up light may be worth a try. The model I use has been discontinued, but there seem to be many more options out there. Happy winter solstice everyone!
I plan to write a longer post tomorrow continuing my series on cancer. If you use a wake-up light or have any questions let me know in the comments. Or email: vir@tutanota.com.