‘Drockling’ Feels Amazing On Winter Mornings, But It Can Ruin Your Sleep

Summer Me loved early morning wakeups – but she has nothing to do with my winter self. 

I don’t know if it’s the increased darkness, the drop in temperature, or my seasonal fatigue, but I’ve really started struggling to get out of bed in the mornings. 

Instead, I delay peeling my duvet off for as long as possible, skipping as many alarms as I have to in my ruthless quest for cosiness. 

If that sounds like you, then it turns out you might be “drockling”. 

What does “drockling” mean? 

Drockling was coined by scientists in the ’70s, Dr Mary A Carskadon, a professor of psychiatry and human behaviour at Brown University, told OWN. 

It means dipping in and out of sleep in the morning and, Healthline added, often involves spamming the “snooze” button in your alarm. 

It can feel great to slip back into slumber as your phone blares its alarm because, sleep specialist Dr Rafael Pelayo shared, those of us who aren’t getting enough kip will often be forced awake in the deepest part of our sleep cycle. 

Partly due to the temperature changes your body goes through as it moves through sleep cycles, this can mean your bedroom’s cold air feels extra-nippy, while your sheets feel cosier than ever.

No wonder I do it so much more often in winter…