November 01, 2024
3 Tips to Cope with Daylight Saving Time
By Sarah Moe, Sleep Expert and AMEC Member
It’s happening again. Twice a year, Daylight Saving Time disrupts our sleep patterns. It throws many households into chaos by disrupting their trusted routine and internal clocks, which regulate all physiological processes. It is also linked to an increase in heart attacks and traffic accidents the day after we change our clocks. But there are easy ways to mitigate any adverse impact,“Spring Forward” or "Fall Back" more naturally and safely:1. Plan ahead
Starting on Thursday or Friday night, commit to a bedtime that is about 30 minutes earlier than usual. Follow the same pattern on Saturday night as well. Easing into the process makes it feel less disruptive to our systems. On Monday morning, you can start your day rested and feel confident about driving safely.
2. Move up dinner time
Food is another major driver of our circadian rhythms. When we eat too close to bedtime, our bodies spend all of our energy on the digestion process instead of the sleep initiation process. Eat dinner a bit earlier before the weekend as you adjust your bedtime.
3. Begin your day with sunlight
Despite the fact that some circadian rhythm disruption is unavoidable, we can help mitigate its effects with natural sunlight exposure in the early morning hours. Once you wake up on Sunday morning, seek out the sun. Step outside for 15 minutes, take a walk, or if it’s too cold, sit near a window to soak up the rays or do a quick yoga routine from our Wellness Studio.
Fall is a great time to look at our sleep habits in general, and take the needed steps to get more rest. I helped design the Sleep programs in the Alurx Wellness App available exclusively in the Apple App Store. Click https://apps.apple.com/us/app/alurx-wellness/id6466098519
and start building a new sleep routine tonight.
