The first day of November means it’s time to “fall back,”
leaving us with one more hour to rest at night.
By contrast, daylight saving time’s beginning in the spring typically
means commuting to work in the dark and having longer days. While fall
and winter days will be shorter, it can have its perks.
Sleep experts have called for an end to the practice altogether with leaders
from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine(AASM) writing in a statement
that in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine thatthe U.S. should have
a “fixed, national, year-round standard time.”
“Permanent, year-round standard time is the best choice to most closely
match our circadian sleep-wake cycle,” said the report’s lead
author Dr. M. Adeel Rishi, a Mayo Clinic sleep specialist, in a press
release. “Daylight saving time results in more darkness in the morning
and more light in the evening, disrupting the body’s natural rhythm.”
However, daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 and there
are ways you can prepare for it and get your sleep on track, according
to Healthline.
Start preparing ahead of time
Adjust your bedtime to hit the sack 15 minutes earlier in the days leading
up to daylight saving time ending.
“By daylight saving on Sunday night, your body will have gradually
adjusted to the new time change," Whitney Roban, a psychologist and
family, educational and corporate sleep specialist told NBC News Better.
Maintain a sleep schedule
Once you’ve adjusted your bedtime, stick with it — even on
Friday night.
According to SleepFoundation.org, going to sleep and awakening at the same
time daily is part of healthy sleep hygiene and can help prep you for
changes in time. People should get at least seven hours of sleep nightly
when transitioning from daylight saving time, the organization said.
Decrease your caffeine intake
Many people rely on coffee to help them wake up, but when it comes to adjusting
to fall hours, you may want to slow down on drinking so many cups of joe.
“Avoid any caffeine after lunchtime,”
Dr. Jose Puangco, a neurologist specializing in sleep medicine at the
Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, told Healthline. “The effects
of caffeine can linger for many hours after being consumed and can hinder
you from sleep.”
Skip the screens ahead of bedtime
Studies have shown that using phones, computers and watching TV at bedtime
may mean poorer quality of sleep. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention notes that exposure to blue light around two hours before bedtime
can make it hard to fall asleep and sleep through the night.
Take a nap
While sleep recommendations have put naps on the back burner, research
has shown that taking naps may not be so bad for you. You don’t
have to skip napping completely if you find you’re feeling drowsy,
but there are times you should avoid taking them to make sure it doesn’t
impact your nighttime rest. Mayo Clinic Health System has some tips on
how to get the most out of napping.
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