Daylight saving begins today. It’s that eventful time when our clocks set forward one hour in the spring. Studies have shown that people struggle during this season, ranging from sleep loss to a greater risk of mood disturbance, suicide, and anxiety disorders. Such implications for sleep are profound, especially when we consider society’s problematic relationship with sleep and rest—it’s no surprise about our ongoing epidemic of stress and burnout. Hence, dealing with these challenges head-on is the first step to restoring and improving our sleep hygiene. As we mark National Sleep Week starting today (March 10-16), here are three tips on adjusting sleep schedules to Daylight Saving Time.
Trusting your body always
We need to look at sleep holistically. Some individuals work late nights, while some work early morning or mid-day. Hence, carving out a bedtime that works and staying consistent is a big first step to better sleep. Even the timing of eating can make a difference because what defines a successful night’s sleep varies from person to person. Trust your body to tell what you need because sleep apps (if you rely on them) may not tell what you need to sleep better at night, said Dr. Jade Wu, a Board-certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist and researcher at Duke University School of Medicine. “It’s important to listen to your body,” explained Dr. Wu, author of Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications, “and incorporates good old-fashioned behavior changes into our sleep awareness and sleep health.” Ultimately, the goal is to help our body regulate its sleep pattern because everyone is unique, including our sleep schedules, sleep hygiene, and even how napping affects our sleep quality.
Eating smartly at night
There is a correlation between the foods we eat and how it impacts our sleep. Eating heavily at night or eating spicy or fatty foods can cause indigestion and constipation, or even insomnia, which can cause all kinds of problems at night. Today, Mattress Firm released its first-ever Sleep Trend report outlining the link between food and sleep as one of the hottest sleep trends this year. The report explained that eating greasy or sugary foods can be hard to metabolize, which keeps the body temperature high, and makes it harder to fall and stay asleep. But changing our food habits or influencing our behavior with food can be difficult, especially if we have been eating the same way for a while.
It all starts with education because what we eat dramatically influences the chemistry of our brain, said Dr. Chris Winter, a Neurologist, Sleep Specialist, and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast. “It’s not about trying to dictate what people eat,” explained Dr. Winter, author of The Rested Child: Why Your Tired, Wired, or Irritable Child May Have a Sleep Disorder—And How To Help and The Sleep Solution, “It’s about giving them options that will have less negative impact on their sleep or optimize their sleep when they eat certain foods at night.” Nuts, yogurt, and fruits like bananas and grapes are excellent late-night options. We also cannot forget the sage advice about avoiding drinking much liquid before bed.
Unplugging for better sleep
We have heard much about how stress and overstimulation are bad for sleep. The culprit is our relationship with technology. According to a new survey exploring Americans’ regular bedtime routines, only 30% turn off electronics before bed. Technology allows us to do amazing things, but it has also accelerated the pace of our lives beyond our capacity to keep up, said Arianna Huffington in Longevity Innovators, a series of interviews with 18 visionaries revealing exciting trends and insights regarding healthy longevity. “An unhealthy relationship with technology can fuel stress and burnout,” explained Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post and founder and CEO of Thrive Global, a platform working to beat burnout. But we can do better. Preparing the mind and body a few hours before bedtime can be a game-changer for daylight saving. It includes not lying without a phone before bed (or sleeping with them), watching intense TV programs or movies, having taxing conversations, or dealing with difficult thoughts. Instead, developing a regular bedtime ritual involving reading, a warm bath, breathing, and stretching is essential.
Behavior change is hard, but these tips can get individuals on the right track with surviving daylight saving time and ultimately improving their sleep quality. This Sleep Week, let’s start, even if small changes, and tackle the challenge of daylight saving. It may just start a sleep revolution, personally and societally.
