For as long as I
can remember, I wanted to sleep through the winter. When the air turns cold and
the snow falls, I want to curl up and sleep until spring. I have also noticed
that I have a craving for carbs during the cold. I think that, like a bear, my
body wants to store up fat for the long sleep or at least insulate me from the
surrounding cold. I am not sure, but it might be the decrease in serotonin that
happens naturally in the winter months. Carbohydrate rich foods can increase
serotonin production temporarily. But I am sticking with the bear analogy.
I am continually
amazed at the separate intelligence that our body has. It’s incredible that our bodies regulate
temperature, balance salt and water levels, and create cravings in an effort to
get what it needs. Even when I sleep, my body continues its thousands, perhaps millions
of functions. I don’t have to think about it, yet my brain is constantly busy.
I wonder if bears dream. I hope so, sleeping all winter gives you lots of time.