Winter Solstice – How the Shortest Day of The Year Affects Your Health?

Jan 23, 2023

A natural cycle called the circadian rhythm is responsible for our body's adaptability to changing environments. The circadian rhythm embodies the physical, mental, and emotional changes our body undergoes in a 24-hour cycle. You can notice this subconsciously when you feel hungry or sleepy at specific hours of the day. Disrupting this cycle can drastically impact your health. Let us understand the impact of the winter solstice, the Shortest Day of The Year, on the circadian rhythm.

Shortest Day of The Year: Meaning & Significance

The Shortest Day of The Year falls on 22nd December for most countries, including India. Known as Winter Solstice, this day marks the beginning of winter and is caused by the earth's rotation on a tilted axis. During the spin, when the northern hemisphere tilts away from the sun, the earth receives less sunlight, making the days shorter. Many cultures celebrate this occasion by coming together to eat and drink until midnight.

Impact of less daylight on physical and mental health

The lack of sunlight affects your general health in more ways than you realise, including the following.

Seasonal affective disorder

Sunlight releases serotonin, the hormone responsible for mood-boosting. Limited exposure to sunlight results in a drop in serotonin production. Hence, you may feel low, depressed, and lose interest in things.

Disrupted sleep cycle

Our body produces melatonin during late evenings and dusk. But during a shorter day, the usual melatonin production cycle gets affected. As a result, you may feel sleepy and lethargic not just at night but also during the daytime.

Low activity

Daytime and physical activity are closely associated. We perform most of our tasks during the day. When the day gets shorter, this routine gets disrupted. Thus, the confused mental signals cause a lack of motivation to stay active.

Vitamin D deficiency

Direct exposure to sunlight is harmful. But not getting enough sunlight is equally detrimental as our body needs Vitamin D. Lack of Vitamin D leads to loss of bone density, muscle weakness, and diseases like rickets and bone softening.

Hormonal imbalance

Due to the lower production of serotonin and higher melatonin production during the day, our body struggles to function normally during the shortest day of the year. The effect is not as significant but may cause mood swings and feelings of disorientation.

How to cope?

Although the mentioned health concerns are valid, one day of Winter Solstice does not dramatically affect your well-being. The extent of its impact depends on your immune system's sensitivity. The best way to cope with this is to ensure you lead a healthy lifestyle and consume a balanced diet.

Invest in health insurance

Winter Solstice is a yearly phenomenon. Its impact on health is not as significant as today's adverse climatic conditions. While you can easily cope with the effects of the winter solstice, the health concerns from the current environmental situation pose a threat. Being financially prepared with health insurance helps tackle them. Insurance provides you with the financial backing to manage unprecedented medical expenses.

This Winter Solstice, prepare financially to tackle your health concerns with a health insurance policy.

Disclaimer: The above information is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale.

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