Published on Feb 02, 2026 | 12:56 PM
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If you’ve been sleeping longer in February but still waking up tired, unrefreshed, or foggy, you’re not imagining it. Late-winter sleep often feels lighter, more fragmented, and less restorative — even when total sleep time increases.
This happens because sleep quality depends far more on circadian alignment than on hours slept. In February, multiple seasonal factors quietly interfere with how deeply your brain cycles through sleep stages.
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. It regulates when you feel sleepy, when you wake naturally, and how efficiently your brain moves through light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep.
In late winter:
This delays the “off switch” for melatonin in the morning and blunts the signal for deep sleep at night. The result is longer sleep that contains less restorative deep sleep.
Many people try to fix winter fatigue by sleeping in. Unfortunately, oversleeping without circadian alignment can actually make sleep feel lighter.
When sleep timing drifts:
This creates the sensation of “sleeping but not resting.”
Febrero suele ser el mes con mayor tiempo en interiores del año. La luz artificial, el uso de pantallas y los horarios irregulares interfieren con las señales naturales del sueño.
Factores comunes que contribuyen:
Exposición a pantallas en la noche que retrasa la liberación de melatonina
Luces brillantes en el techo durante la noche
Horarios inconsistentes para dormir y despertar
Menor exposición a la luz natural durante el día
Incluso pequeñas interrupciones se acumulan con el tiempo.
Some people find environmental tools helpful for supporting deeper, more consistent sleep:
These tools don’t induce sleep — they protect sleep signals.
Rather than sleeping longer, focus on alignment:
Get light exposure within an hour of waking
Keep bed and wake times consistent, even on weekends
Dim lights and screens at least an hour before bed
Support darkness and quiet overnight
Late-winter sleep improves when your environment reinforces rhythm — not when you simply add hours.
If you are having trouble sleeping or staying asleep reach out to CallOnDoc today.
Shelly House, FNP, is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Call-On-Doc’s trusted medical education voice. With extensive experience in telehealth and patient-centered care, Ms. House is dedicated to making complex health topics simple and accessible. Through evidence-based content, provider collaboration, and a passion for empowering patients, her mission is to break down barriers to healthcare by delivering clear, compassionate, and practical medical guidance.
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