There is a scientific reason behind why humans tend to sleep more during winters and it is related to your hormones. Many people notice they feel more fatigued in winter, even though their overall sleep needs remain consistent throughout the year.

Sleep needs for most adults range from seven to nine hours per night, regardless of the season. However, it is common to feel like you’re sleeping more in winter due to the earlier onset of darkness during standard time.

Seasonal Sleep Changes

Recent studies indicate that humans, like some animals, experience subtle seasonal variations in sleep. Research conducted in Berlin found participants slept about an hour longer in winter than in summer, with 30 additional minutes of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep during the colder months. To note, REM sleep is crucial for memory, mood regulation, and immune function.

How Light Affects Sleep

Our sleep-wake cycle or the circadian rhythm is closely tied to sunlight. Bright light signals the body to stay awake, while darkness prompts melatonin production, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. During winter, shorter days and longer nights lead to earlier melatonin release, which may make you feel sleepier earlier in the evening. The same goes for the morning, late sunrise makes you sleep more.

However, social habits, like late-night outings during summer, can disrupt this rhythm. As per a clinical psychologist specializing in sleep, the body may struggle to adjust to sleeping earlier during winter nights, leading to delayed sleep onset or increased sleepiness.

Environmental Changes

Adapting To Winter Sleep Patterns

- Morning Light Exposure: Natural sunlight or light therapy using a light box can regulate your circadian rhythm and alleviate symptoms of SAD.

- Consistent Sleep Schedule: Maintaining regular sleep and wake times helps stabilize your internal clock.

- Creating a Sleep-Friendly Environment: A dark, quiet, and cool bedroom promotes restful sleep.

Additionally, workplaces and schools could consider later start times during winter to align with natural light patterns, enhancing alertness and productivity.

When Should You See A Doctor?

If seasonal sleep changes lead to depression or difficulty functioning, consult a healthcare professional. According to health experts, seeking support for seasonal depression is important for maintaining overall health and well-being.

While winter's shorter days can make you feel sleepier, understanding the role of light and adjusting your habits can help you navigate the season effectively. Embrace these changes, but don’t hesitate to seek help if you find yourself struggling with sleep or mood disruptions.

We often reach for pills to soothe a headache, ease congestion, or help us drift off to sleep. Yet one experienced pharmacist believes that several everyday medicines tucked inside our bathroom cabinets may be causing more problems than they solve. Deborah Grayson, who has spent 13 years in pharmacy practice, has shared a firm warning about seven widely used treatments she personally avoids. Her concerns range from overpowering drowsiness that leaves people feeling disconnected to medications that can create a dependence over time.

Medicines That May Trigger Serious Side Effects

Below are the seven products she is cautious about, along with the alternatives she suggests.

1. Codeine

Codeine, sometimes sold in low doses mixed with paracetamol, is a strong opioid pain reliever. Deborah believes the danger of becoming reliant on it overshadows the intended relief.

She explained to the Daily Mail that opioid medicines convert to morphine inside the body and act on pain pathways to reduce discomfort, often bringing a warm, pleasant sensation that some describe as a mild “buzz.”

Her preferred approach for mild to moderate pain is sticking to paracetamol or ibuprofen. If those options fall short, she advises speaking with a doctor instead of moving to opioids.

2. Statins

Statins are prescribed to millions to help manage cholesterol levels, though debate continues about how effective they truly are for certain groups. Deborah said they should be used only when necessary, as people without clear risk may gain little benefit.

She noted that women may see even fewer protective effects, which raises concerns about whether many are being offered these drugs without enough consideration. Muscle aches, tiredness and possible liver irritation are recognised risks. She recommends having a detailed discussion with a healthcare professional to review whether another option may be more suitable.

3. Anti-depressants

Prescriptions for antidepressants in the UK have risen sharply. While these medicines are essential for many, Deborah believes that their long-term side effects and withdrawal symptoms can outweigh the positives for others.

She pointed out that access to cognitive behavioural therapy remains limited in an already strained health system, even though therapy may offer more lasting support for some patients. She added that antidepressants can cause nausea, headaches and sleep problems, and with long-term use may raise the risk of weight gain, diabetes and stomach bleeding.

Some people also develop sexual side effects, while withdrawal may bring dizziness, nausea, sharp shock-like sensations in the head, intense anxiety, irritability and disturbed sleep.

4. Gabapentin and Pregabalin

These medicines are often prescribed for nerve pain or fibromyalgia, yet Deborah feels that their side effects are not always fully explained.

She said they can lead to heavy drowsiness, poor balance, difficulty with concentration and memory issues over time, along with weight gain. Many people find the initial effects so overwhelming that they stop before any improvement is noticed, which may take several weeks.

Both medicines are controlled because of the possibility of addiction, and some users may develop both physical and psychological dependence.

5. Steroid Creams

Steroid creams are frequently used to manage eczema, psoriasis and other skin flare-ups. They are helpful in short bursts, although Deborah worries that many people continue using them far longer than advised because routine follow-up is often lacking.

Extended use may thin the skin and trigger painful reactions or infections. This creates a pattern where the discomfort returns, leading patients to reach again for the same cream, keeping them stuck in a cycle.

6. PPIs

Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole or lansoprazole, are among the most common treatments for heartburn and acid reflux.

Deborah views these as a quick solution that can cause long-term harm if people rely on them for too long. She explained that stomach acid is necessary for breaking down food and absorbing nutrients, and PPIs interfere with this process. This can leave the stomach struggling to digest properly and may contribute to nutrient shortages.

She encourages people to consider dietary adjustments and stress management instead of long-term dependence on PPIs.

7. Laxatives

Many people turn to laxatives for constipation, and with so many available without a prescription, it is easy to depend on them more than intended. While they work well for short-term relief, consistent use may cause the bowel to slow down.

Deborah warned that many people eventually struggle to go to the toilet without help from these products. Short-term effects can include cramps, diarrhea, nausea, bloating, and trapped wind.

For ongoing constipation, she suggests increasing fibre intake or using options that draw more water into the bowel, such as Fybogel (ispaghula husk) or Macrogol sachets.

A recent study suggests that a person’s blood group could play a role in whether they are more likely to develop severe liver conditions. Although most of us link blood type only with transfusions or donor matching, scientists now believe it may also offer clues about long-term liver health.

Higher Liver Disease Risk Linked to This Blood Group

A new study published in the journal Frontiers reports that individuals with blood group A have an increased chance of autoimmune liver disorders. In these conditions, the body’s own immune system mistakenly harms liver tissue, which can lead to ongoing damage and, in some cases, life-threatening liver failure.

The researchers also found that people with blood group B may have a slightly lower likelihood of certain liver-related concerns compared with those who have type A.

Why Your Blood Group Could Influence Liver Health?

Scientists have long examined how inherited blood groups relate to different illnesses. Some earlier findings noted that individuals with non-O blood types (A, B, or AB) tend to show higher activity of certain clotting factors and other changes in the body.

These differences may affect blood flow in the liver. For example, past studies found slightly increased levels of a clotting protein called von Willebrand factor in people with advanced liver disease who had non-O blood types, although it does not appear to be a major driver of risk.

Liver Conditions Connected to Certain Blood Groups

The latest research focused on autoimmune liver diseases such as:

• Autoimmune hepatitis, in which the immune system attacks liver cells.
• Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), where the bile ducts inside the liver slowly break down.

Among these, autoimmune hepatitis showed a stronger link with blood group A. Blood group B appeared to carry a somewhat lower chance of PBC when compared with type A.

What Past Research Shows About Liver Cancer

Several earlier studies explored the relationship between blood group and liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC). Older data and a large meta-analysis found that people with type O blood were under-represented among those with liver cancer, suggesting that type O may be tied to a lower risk overall.

Why Knowing Your Blood Type Helps

Understanding your blood group can offer insight into potential health risks, though it does not mean you will certainly develop liver disease if you are type A or B. It remains only one part of a larger picture.

This may be especially important if you have blood type A or B and a family history of liver conditions. Routine health checks, liver screenings, and discussions with your doctor can help you watch for any early signs.

For now, it is clear that blood type is more than a simple classification, as it may hold useful information about future liver health.

Autoimmune liver disorders are uncommon, yet they can become serious when they are not spotted in time. A better grasp of the genetic and immune-related factors behind them can guide stronger prevention and treatment efforts. The authors of the study note that more research involving larger and more varied groups of people is needed to confirm these findings and to explain how different ABO blood types may influence the development of autoimmune liver problems.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, roughly one in nine adults worldwide lives with diabetes, and around 90% of these cases are type 2 diabetes. There is currently no cure for type 2 diabetes. Still, the condition can be managed through healthy lifestyle habits, such as staying active, as well as medication. One widely used medication is metformin, considered a first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes, and it has been prescribed for decades since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it in 1994. Recent research, however, suggests it may also act directly on the brain, opening the door to new approaches to treatment.

Metformin Found to Unexpectedly Affect The Brain

Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine in the US have discovered a brain pathway that metformin appears to influence, alongside its known effects on other parts of the body. "It has been widely believed that metformin lowers blood sugar mainly by reducing glucose production in the liver. Other studies have also highlighted its action in the gut," says Makoto Fukuda, a pathophysiologist at Baylor.

As reported by Science Alert, the researchers explained, "We turned our attention to the brain, given its central role in regulating overall glucose metabolism. Our goal was to understand whether and how the brain contributes to metformin’s anti-diabetic effects."

How Is Metformin Affecting Your Brain?

Earlier research by some of the same scientists had pinpointed a protein in the brain called Rap1, which influences glucose metabolism, especially in a region called the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH).

In their 2025 study, experiments on mice showed that metformin reaches the VMH, where it helps combat type 2 diabetes by essentially shutting down Rap1. When mice were genetically modified to lack Rap1, metformin no longer affected a diabetes-like condition—even though other medications still worked. This provides strong evidence that metformin acts in the brain through a mechanism distinct from other drugs.

The researchers also examined which specific neurons metformin interacts with. This could eventually pave the way for treatments that target these neurons directly. "We found that SF1 neurons are activated when metformin enters the brain, indicating they are directly involved in the drug’s effect," they said.

Metformin Side Effects

While generally safer than many other type 2 diabetes medications, metformin does have side effects. Gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort affect up to 75% of users. Other risks can arise when there are underlying conditions like kidney problems, which may compound health concerns.

Metformin is also recognized as a gerotherapeutic—a medication that may slow aging processes in the body. For instance, it has been shown to reduce DNA damage and support gene activity linked to longer life.

Previous studies indicate that metformin can also protect the brain from wear and tear and may even lower the risk of long COVID, according to Science Direct.