I was chatting with my brother in law yesterday and he said he was reading something about how farmers in cold climate zones actually "hibernated" in the winter. This was back in the days before central heating and electricity ... etc. He said that their bodily functions would slow down and they would sleep about twice as long as they would during other times of the year in order to conserve heat.
Is this stuff actually true? Perhaps I'm thinking too much about this because it's cold day here in New England. It sounds like it would be logical - but if it is then wouldn't there also be a profound difference between people from warm climates and people from the deep north (or south)?
Does anybody know of any actual data that supports this idea - or is this one of those old wives tale things that quickly die after scientists really look at the facts? Hey! ...who knows? Perhaps those guys from "Mythbusters" are on the site right now and we can clear this up in one little episode. Come on there "Canadian Catters", get out of bed and write something down. You've been asleep since November and it's time to contribute a little!