Experts weigh in on how not to disrupt your sleep after Daylight Saving Time change
While it will mean more daylight during the evening hours, Daylight Saving Time can also disrupt sleep patterns.
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Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday. At that time, most Americans will turn their clocks forward one hour.
While it will mean more daylight during the evening hours, Daylight Saving Time can also disrupt sleep patterns.
“With Daylight Saving Time, it disrupts our natural circadian rhythm. So that's our body's kind of internal sleep clock,” says Michele Drerup with the Sleep Disorders Center at the Cleveland Clinic.
Drerup says that the shift in light exposure can cause sleep disturbances for days after the change.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says it's also linked to a rise in car crashes, cardiovascular events, mood changes and other problems.
“Some people are more affected by the change than others, and people who are more affected are likely people who already have some sleep difficulties,” Drerup says.
To lessen the impact on your sleep, experts say to gradually adjust your bedtime and wake time by 15 to 20 minutes before the time change to help your body adjust. Alter daily routines like mealtimes, which are time cues for your body. Get at least seven hours of sleep before and after the change to make sure you're adequately rested, and expose yourself to bright morning sunlight the week after the time change to help reset your internal clock.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says having good sleep hygiene is also a critical part of bedtime -- not just during the time change, but any other time. This includes keeping your bedroom quiet and cool, avoiding large meals and alcohol before bed and avoiding caffeine late in the day.
The agency says regular exercise and a healthy diet can also help sleep.
