Daylight Saving Time returns this weekend (Central Standard Time), 2:00 a.m. Saturday, to be specific. And while we can all appreciate an extra hour's rest--I can vouch for that--our circadian rhythms (a.k.a "body clocks"), might NOT be so appreciative. Here are some tips to help you adjust to the upcoming time change.

  1. Stick to your normal sleep pattern. Luckily having the clocks "fall back" is easier on your body than when they "spring forward." You SHOULD wake up Sunday morning more refreshed since you gained an hour overnight. It's falling asleep Sunday night that might be trickier.
  2. Practice "sleep hygiene." WebMD defines it as "actions you can take to create sleep-friendly environments and enhance your chances of falling asleep and staying asleep." This includes--but isn't limited to--reducing caffeine and alcohol and exercising several hours before bedtime.
  3. Banish technology before bedtime--this is a HUGE problem for me. It might be tempting to flip through your phone in bed, play a game on your tablet or watch something on Netflix. But the light from the screens will just confuse your body even more. So try not to use technology for at least an hour before bed.
  4. Avoid naps. Naps seem like a good idea when your body clock is out of sync, but it can lower the quality of your actual sleep later that night (this is ALSO a huge problem for me). If you must, make sure it's a quick nap, no longer than 20 minutes.

Hopefully these words of advice prepare you for Daylight Saving Time. You may agree with these tips, you may disagree. Although, I think we can all agree that it getting dark at 4:30 totally sucks.

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