Longer days wearing you out?
Daylight saving time can ultimately be a good thing because of the longer days. However, adjusting to the time change can be, well ... tricky, to say the least. The turning of the clocks could be coming to an end soon, though (as explained by the Sunshine Protection Act), but nothing is official just yet on that.
In the meantime, it can be helpful to know how to help yourself adjust to the time change. I had multiple friends saying they were all out of sorts after we lost an hour, and I felt the same myself. Read on to discover how to make daylight saving time work for you. While you may be fully adjusted this season, you'll probably want some tips for the next time (and possibly the last!) that it comes around.
Prep Your Body
By starting to gradually go to sleep about 15 minutes earlier a few days before the time change, you can help your body adjust. This will slowly help you to sync up with losing that hour of sleep. By easing yourself into this adjustment, it can help the change to be less jarring. You can even turn your clocks forward a day ahead of time to give yourself more time to get into your new routine.
Exercise
Exercise can help us to have more energy and sleep better. You definitely want to make sure you don't exercise too closely to bedtime though, as that could make it more difficult to sleep. Try exercising no less than a few hours before going to sleep. You will need time to come down after the workout, but if you time it right, exercise will help rather than harm your sleep.
Practice Healthy Food/Drink Habits
You have probably already heard that eating late at night or drinking alcohol or caffeine can affect your sleep—especially when we are about to lose an hour, it's important to give a little extra attention to these things. You may want that post-work energy fuel or beer to cool down, but try not to consume these things too late in the day, as it can cause sleep trouble. After all, a good night's rest is important to adjust to the time change. Try to also focus on eating more proteins and fewer carbs. This will be helpful for your energy.
Take in the Sun
While losing time can be a difficult adjustment at first, it's worth it in order to get more sunlight. The sun will boost your mood and help you regulate. A great way to adjust to losing an hour of sleep is to increase your sunlight intake (just don't forget your sunscreen!). Take advantage of the fact that the days are longer, and take in your vitamin D. Sunlight is great for mental health, as well as things like bone health, lower blood pressure, and even preventing disease.
Daylight saving time may not be here to stay, but we have at least one more year of it regardless. Easing yourself into the change will help it to be less abrupt. Exercise, healthy eating and drinking habits, and soaking up the sun can all also help the time change go more smoothly. Focus on these tips and other methods of appropriate rest the next time daylight saving rolls around. And if you're still currently having trouble with sleep, the last three tips can still be helpful with getting better rest. Happy spring!
