Simply because most of the food they eat (berries, seeds etc) is either covered by a deep layer of snow - or is simply not available due to the plants being dormant. It's pointless 'running around wasting energy' - when there's no reliable food sources to replenish the energy lost.
Squirrels cache nuts and other food items to eat during the winter. Raccoons eat as much as they can during the warmer months to put on a thick later of fat that allows them to survive when food is scarce.
in the winter
In spring, ground squirrels come out of their dens in April and May.
Camels are known for storing fat in their humps, not water as commonly thought. However, some rodents, such as chipmunks and squirrels, store food in their burrows for later consumption during the winter months.
Ground squirrels (like chipmunks and prairie dogs) live in ground burrows, and many become dormant in winter (hibernate). Tree squirrels genera contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America, which prefer the heights of the trees, as opposed to ground squirrels, and spend little time on the ground. Tree squirrels do not hibernate during the winter months, but they keep all activities to a minimum to conserve energy. Hence, they often seem to almost completely disappear during the winter months. Winter tree nests (called dreys) are often shared for warmth where tree squirrels keep warm by snuggling with their family members. When they sleep, they use their big furry tails to cover themselves to keep as warm as possible. A squirrel will come out now and then to search for hidden stores of food.
They sleep for a long time in the winter.
hibernation is your answer maybe however its the time when some animals go to sleep for winter here is an example: bears squirrels & some insects.
squirrels are like us they pick their time to wake up some wake up at night most wake up at daylight
Squirrels cache nuts and other food items to eat during the winter. Raccoons eat as much as they can during the warmer months to put on a thick later of fat that allows them to survive when food is scarce.
they sleep in winter time. this is called hibernate.
in the winter
In spring, ground squirrels come out of their dens in April and May.
Camels are known for storing fat in their humps, not water as commonly thought. However, some rodents, such as chipmunks and squirrels, store food in their burrows for later consumption during the winter months.
Um... I think you meant hibernate... and they do what mammals would do... Eat tons of food and sleep for a very long time
Sleep deprivation is not good for you in the long term
squirrels store food for the winter because in the winter it would usually snow. so when it snow you couldn't find nuts.
Ground squirrels (like chipmunks and prairie dogs) live in ground burrows, and many become dormant in winter (hibernate). Tree squirrels genera contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America, which prefer the heights of the trees, as opposed to ground squirrels, and spend little time on the ground. Tree squirrels do not hibernate during the winter months, but they keep all activities to a minimum to conserve energy. Hence, they often seem to almost completely disappear during the winter months. Winter tree nests (called dreys) are often shared for warmth where tree squirrels keep warm by snuggling with their family members. When they sleep, they use their big furry tails to cover themselves to keep as warm as possible. A squirrel will come out now and then to search for hidden stores of food.