How to avoid issues from Daylight Savings Time

With Daylight Savings on March 8th, we will lose an hour of sleep. This article explains why it may be an issue for people and gives tips on how to avoid any problems.

You may find you feel a little more tired than usual next month as you adjust to the start of Daylight Saving Time, which begins at 2 a.m on Sunday, March 8.

“An hour seems like a minor change, but moving the clock ahead one hour can be very stressful or disruptive for some people, particularly for those who are already sleep deprived,” says to Jeffrey P. Barasch, M.D., FACCP, FAASM, Medical Director of The Valley Hospital Center for Sleep Medicine.

“The problem goes beyond just the loss of a single hour of sleep on the night of the clock change,” Dr. Barasch says, “The time change also plays havoc with the body’s circadian rhythm, or biological clock.”

This biological clock, located within a part of the brain behind the eyes, determines when we feel alert and when we are sleepy. The internal clock keeps our bodies synchronized with the daily light-dark cycle of the outside world. The biologic clock is ‘set’ or fixed to the time of day by two factors: the time we regularly wake up in the morning and our exposure to sunlight during the day. It can be reset, but (as anyone who has traveled by airplane across several time zones has experienced), the biological clock cannot be adjusted too quickly.

When we move the time clock one hour earlier for daylight savings time, our bodies remain partly on the prior schedule (known as ‘jetlag’ in plane travel). The result: 7 am in daylight savings time is equivalent to 6 a.m. standard time. Also, your typically sunlit mornings will now be dark, and that lack of morning light makes it even more difficult for your internal clock to adjust. So not only are we losing an hour of sleep, but since it can take some time to readjust, we’re left feeling tired for more than the one day on which the clocks change.

People who normally sleep well can usually adjust to the time shift with relatively little difficulty. However, if someone has been barely coping with an undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorder, daylight saving time can exacerbate and therefore unmask problems such as sleep apnea, insomnia or periodic limb movement disorder.

The following tips from Dr. Barasch can help you get a good night’s sleep:
• On the nights after the time change, go to bed at your usual time. You may experience some difficulty falling asleep, because your body’s clock has not yet adjusted.
• Get up at your usual time regularly. Although you may find this a bit difficult, it will help you adjust to the time change.
• Avoid sunlight or bright light in the first few evenings after the time change, as this will tend to keep you awake later and prevent adjustment of your body’s clock.
• Try to get sunlight exposure soon after awakening in the first few mornings after the time change, as this will help you adjust to the new time.
• A short nap can help make up for less sleep, but won’t help you acclimate to the new schedule. Don’t nap within a few hours of your regular bedtime to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep.
• Create a sleep-friendly environment that is dark, cool, comfortable and quiet.
• Have a relaxing routine before bedtime, such as soaking in a hot bath, reading or listening to soothing music.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol for several hours prior to bedtime, as they can disrupt sleep.

If you regularly experience daytime drowsiness, fatigue or disturbed sleep, speak to your doctor or consult with a sleep medicine specialist.

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Recommendations for adapting to daylight savings time

This article provides information on how daylight savings time affects us and tips for how to acclimate to the time change.

When daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, that extra hour of sleep comes at the price of early evening darkness.

As we set clocks back one hour, we essentially gain an extra hour of sleep. But a Vanderbilt University Medical Center sleep specialist confirms what a lot of us already know—this change in sleep schedule can still cause a groggy and unsettled feeling come Monday morning, especially with our tendency to shift sleep patterns on the weekends.

“When we start playing around with our schedule, or have an irregular schedule staying up on weekends, we’re not allowing our clock to reset at its usual time,” said Raghu Upender, M.D., medical director of the Vanderbilt Sleep Disorders Center.

But there are ways to fight the sluggish feeling of being out of sync. Getting extra exposure to sunlight can help reset the biological clock and cope with the darker evenings. Upender’s best advice for resetting the internal clock is to get light exposure in the morning.

“It doesn’t have to be blasting sunlight. Open the curtains and turn on all the bright lights in your house, or get outside for a walk,” he said.

He says that light perception through the eye’s retina regulates the hormone melatonin, which controls the sleep-wake cycle, among other functions. Light inhibits the production of melatonin, while darkness encourages it.

“There are direct tracks from the eye to the brain structures that help sync the biological clock. This comes from our early days as humans when our only cues were the sun. Daylight hours were the times of activity and productivity,” Upender said.

This explains why we often feel more tired or groggy in the fall and winter months, when days are shorter and there are fewer hours of sunlight.

Most people adjust within a few weeks, especially with extra sunlight exposure during the day. In severe cases, sometimes called seasonal affective disorder, doctors may prescribe light therapy or melatonin hormone supplements.

Beth Malow, M.D., M.S., chief of Vanderbilt’s Division of Sleep Disorders, said trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or feeling tired during the day may indicate a sleep disorder.

“I encourage people to discuss symptoms with their health care provider, as sleep disorders are highly treatable and can make a big difference in our health and daytime functioning,” Malow said.

Additional recommendations for good sleep:
· Establish a relaxing pre-sleep ritual, such as taking a bath, reading or listening to calm music.
· Make sure the bedroom is quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature.
· Avoid the bright lights and stimulation of TVs, computers and other electronics before bed.
· Avoid large meals, alcohol and caffeine before bed.
· Exercise earlier in the day, not right before bed.
· Keep the same bedtime and wake time each day, even on weekends.

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Spring Forward: Helping Your Body Adjust to Daylight Savings

Spring forward soon. There are effects form losing even one hour of sleep. JR

Sure we get an extra hour of daylight, but adjusting to Daylight Savings Time, which kicks off next weekend, can be a challenge. Our physical time-keeping clocks are easy to change, but what about the internal clocks?

"I get up an hour early for the first few days," said Huntsville resident Gene Lang.

Well, the best way to adjust to either time change, falling back or springing forward, is developing good habits and nighttime rituals to which you can adhere.

According to the Mayo Clinic, you should try the following:

• Stick to a schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night.
• Pay attention to your tummy. Don't go to bed either hungry or stuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too.
• Create a bedtime ritual. Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed. Be wary of TV, computers and other electronics
• Get comfortable. Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too.
• Limit daytime naps. Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep — especially if you're struggling with insomnia or poor sleep quality at night. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to 30 minutes.
• Be physically active during the day. Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. Timing is important, though. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep.
• Manage stress. When you have too much to do — and too much to think about — your sleep is likely to suffer. To help restore peace to your life, consider healthy ways to manage stress. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks.

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Attention night-owls! What time is it? Dont forget to Spring forward and be careful...

Attention night-owls! What time is it? Dont forget to Spring forward and be careful. Accidents increase after the time change. JR

Transitions into and out of daylight saving time compromise sleep and the rest-activity cycles

Background

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of transition out of and into daylight saving time on the rest-activity cycles and sleep. Rest-activity cycles of nine healthy participants aged 20 to 40 years were measured around transitions out of and into daylight saving time on fall 2005 and spring 2006 respectively. Rest-activity cycles were measured using wrist-worn accelerometers. The participants filled in the Morningness-Eveningness and Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaires before starting the study and kept a sleep diary during the study.

Results

Fall transition was more disturbing for the more morning type and spring transition for the more evening type of persons. Individuals having a higher global seasonality score suffered more from the transitions.

Conclusion

Transitions out of and into daylight saving time enhanced night-time restlessness and thereby compromised the quality of sleep.

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