Don’t let daylight saving time ruin your sleep
Daffodils are blooming, temperatures are rising, the days are getting longer – all clear signs of spring. But there’s another, less welcome change in store: At 2 a.m. on Sunday, most people in the United States will move their clocks forward an hour.
For many of us, this transition is more difficult than when we “relapse” in the fall, in part because we lose an hour of sleep, said Dr. Rachel Ziegler, a sleep medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Minnesota. .
“But it’s actually much more than that,” she said, because the clock change also shifts the timing of sunrise and sunset. After we jump forward, the mornings will be darker and the evenings lighter, making it more challenging to both wake up and fall asleep.
In fact, this can cause a months-long mismatch between our internal clocks and our school and work schedules, leaving many people chronically sleep deprived, said Dr. James Rowley, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. This is why the organization supports the complete elimination of daylight saving time, he added.
But for now, we have to jump ahead. Here’s what you can do to make this change a little less painful.
Prioritize your sleep before Sunday
One of the best ways to protect against this disruption is to get enough sleep — usually defined as seven or more hours if you’re an adult — for at least a few nights before changing the clocks, says Michael Grandner, director of the sleep and sleep department. health research program at the University of Arizona.
That way, “you come from a place of strength,” and not from lack of sleep, he said.
The time change can be especially difficult for those who wake up early during the week but sleep in on weekends, said Dr. Rowley – causing what scientists call ‘social jet lag’. If you’re one of those people, try to avoid sleeping in this weekend, he said, because the time change will add another hour of “jet lag.”
Gradually change your sleep and meal routines
Starting at least a few days before the time change, try to go to bed and wake up about 15 minutes earlier each day, says Jade Wu, a sleep psychologist and researcher at Duke University School of Medicine. This can help ease the transition, she said.
“It’s almost like cycling across time zones instead of flying across time zones,” she said.
Shifting your meals in the same way can also adjust your body’s internal clock, Dr. Rowley said.
These incremental shifts can be especially helpful for those who struggle with changes in routines, such as small children and adults with dementia, said Dr. Wu.
Experience a ‘Sunday party’
Consider planning some fun activities for Sunday, said Dr. Wu, especially if daylight saving time makes you feel irritable or down.
Spending time outside, exercising or socializing with friends can help prevent a bad mood, said Dr. Wu. And a more active day will likely help you fall asleep earlier on Sunday night, setting you up for a better Monday, she added.
Enjoy the morning light
Try to get as much morning light as possible during the days after the change, Dr. suggested. Grandner. Light signals your body that it’s time to wake up, which can help you adjust to the new clock time, he added.
Open your blinds and sit by the window for a few minutes, or take a morning walk, he said. If it is still dark when you wake up, turn on the bright lights in your home or consider using a light therapy lamp.
Be careful with caffeine and alcohol
Caffeine can help you wake up and adjust to the clock change in the morning, said Dr. Ziegler. But remember that you should also adjust to an earlier bedtime, so try to avoid caffeine after 3 p.m., or earlier if you’re sensitive to caffeine, she added.
People are sometimes tempted to drink alcohol to fall asleep, Dr. Grandner said. But this strategy can backfire, as alcohol can cause you to wake up more often during the night, leading to a poorer night’s sleep.
Plan nutritious meals
If the switch to daylight saving time causes you to sleep less, you may feel hungrier than usual or crave less healthy foods, says Frank Scheer, a neuroscientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. To help offset those cravings, it’s best to eat balanced, satisfying meals high in fiber and protein for a few days after the time change, he said.
Be kind to yourself
If daylight saving time sneaks up on you before you’ve had time to prepare, that’s OK too, said Dr. Wu. “You just have to accept that you might feel really bad that first Monday.”
According to a 2019 online survey of approximately 2,000 U.S. adultsmore than half said they felt “extremely” or “somewhat tired” after the spring clock change.
If it helps at all, said Dr. Wu, please know that you are not alone.