How to Adjust to Daylight Saving Time Without Losing Sleep

Most of the US will spring forward at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, losing an hour for better energy use. This practice is meant to be observed since March so do start getting your business done early.

Like anyhting else, this decision isn’t without controversy, especially because scientific research suggests that this tremendously disturbs part of many people's sleep-wake cycle which may pose a greater threat to heart problems and strokes.

The positive piece of news is that you can utilize this week to adjust our schedules and our bodies.

These are several pieces of advice to get ready for Daylight Saving Time.

How does DST affect the body?

Daylight saving time begins on March 9 and ends on Noveber 2, and it will cahnge your sleeping habits cycle due to shifts in time. So be on the look out! Make sure your alarm for waking up set a few hours ahead of your preferred time.

The effects on one’s health are going to be very evident especially for the first week. This is especially true when we consider that whilst we only lose an hour of sleep, losing that hour will surely take its toll.

Our body’s natural circadian rhythm will have huge diplaications on when we feel ready to sprint, ready to grab a snack, already exhausted, and even thinking.

Circadian rhythm exceeds just the wake and sleep pattern. Our body has an internal body clock which runs on a 24 hour cycle influences a lot more, including meal timings, temperature of the body, and hormonal changes.

Make sure you’re exposed to morning light

As the clocks change, sunrise feels like it occurs later which results in lesser chances of benefiting from morning light.

The human body makes use of natural light to self-regulate. For example, morning sunlight triggers cortisol secretion, indicating it’s time to wake up, enhances readiness, and improves sleep at night.

We should be sleeping after 16 or 18 hours of first waking up during morning light.

In the days prior to DST, try and get as much morning light as you can in order to reinforce your healthy circadian rhythm.

Modify Your Sleeping Patterns

Dr. Alcibiades Rodriguez, posing here, the director of sleep medicine at NYU Grossman School of medicine, provides 3 suggestions for coma-like sleep : leading up to DST.

Dr. Rodriguez did mention in pointer number 2 that there’s a very high possibility of a heart attack, stroke, vehicular accidents, and even sleeping issues.

There is some evidence that DST is worse than normal time for our health due to heightened risks of having heart attacks, strokes, motor vehicular crashes coupled with sleep troubles.

As a measure to mitigate these disturbances, we can look at shifting our sleep cycle a little bit by going to sleep and rising 15 to 20 minutes earlier every day from now till Sunday.

However, be careful not to alter too many factors too quickly. Also, try to keep your regular work and exercise schedule along with your diet to prevent unnecessary shock on your system.

Stick to your winding down routines.

Healthy habits also include removing technology’s Blue light 30 to 60 minutes prior to sleeping, darkening the room, and relaxing the mind. And lastly, limiting food intake 2 hours and caffeine three to four hours before sleep aids in both quality and quantity.

All of these tips help provide a much better sleep without frequent interruptions and makes it easier to fall asleep from a rather active environment.

Caffeine, a stimulant, and alcohol, which fragments sleep more than benefits it, should also be avoided late evening.

Stop looking at the clock throughout the night.

Remember to have a comfy setting free from bright lights.

Avoid exercising or eating late at night barring you from restful sleep.

And finally, sleep like a baby.

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