From MERCY HEALTH
This weekend marks the end of daylight-saving time, which means it’s time to set our clocks back one hour. While the thought of gaining an extra hour of sleep is often celebrated, the time change can still impact sleep patterns and routines.
“Our bodies have an internal clock, our circadian rhythm, that tells our body when to sleep and when to wake up, which develops from consistent schedules. Even a mild adjustment to that schedule, like the clocks falling back one hour, can disrupt our sleep routines,” explained Dr., explained Dr. Sarah Mufti, a Mercy Health neurologist. “Most people don’t prepare for changes in daylight saving time, especially because we see an extra hour of sleep as a benefit. However, our bodies still may not feel ready to sleep at a certain time if we don’t prepare for the change, which could make waking up more difficult.”
Maintaining a regular schedule is key, which is why daylight saving time and falling back, can be such a disruptor. The best way to mitigate those effects is to prepare for the change a few days before it starts.
There are simple tips you can follow to ease the transition from daylight saving time:
- Adjust your schedule. Start by going to bed 15 minutes later a few days before the time change. Avoiding screens and dimming lights in the later part of the evening will help by prompting your brain to release melatonin, which initiates a sense of sleepiness.
- Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime ritual. Being exhausted is not the same as being sleepy. Physical exhaustion requires time to relax and unwind, which should be done prior to heading to bed.
- Rise and shine at the same time, even on the weekends. Even though you may not feel like getting up at the same time you would for work or school on a Saturday, a fixed routine helps your body regulate its sleep pattern and get the most out of the hours you sleep. Exposing yourself to as much sunlight as possible during early morning hours also helps.
- Avoid long naps. As luxurious as napping sounds, long naps can dramatically affect the quality of your nighttime sleep. If you need to nap, try limiting it to 15–20 minutes in the late morning or early afternoon.
- Exercise regularly. Even moderate exercise, such as walking for 30 minutes three times a week, can help you sleep better. Just be sure you finish 2–3 hours before bedtime. Exercise raises body temperature which can interfere with falling asleep.
- Watch what you drink and eat before bedtime. Avoid caffeine after 5 p.m. and if you are hungry, eat small snacks, not large meals. And while alcohol might make you feel sleepy, it also disrupts your sleep during the second half of the night.
“On average, you should aim to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Think of your sleep like charging your cell phone. If you don’t do it enough, it stops working,” Dr. Mufti added. “Your sleep routine isn’t just about timing. It’s also about making sure you have the right environment to encourage a good night’s rest.”
A dark, quiet, cool room is the best for sleep. If you need noise, find an audio-only source to play in the background. Television audio often changes in volume and quality, and the light from the screen can be disruptive. Blue light technology can suppress the body’s automatic rise in melatonin that helps us feel drowsy and fall asleep, so it’s best to avoid all electronics especially in the last 2 hours before bedtime.
If you’re still struggling to get enough sleep a few weeks past the time change or feel like a lack of sleep is disrupting your daily routine despite maintaining good sleep habits, it may be time to be evaluated further. Learn more about the sleep medicine services we offer at mercy.com.
