It feels harsh. Losing one precious hour of sleep tonight.
As Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins in the UK during the summer months, clocks are scheduled as follows: Move forward one hour tonight to 1 a.m. local time. As a result, the new local daylight saving time will be 2:00 AM.
Scientists are concerned that switching to daylight saving time could have negative effects on health, including an increase in strokes, heart attacks, car accidents, and sleep deprivation, according to neurology professor and director of Vanderbilt’s sleep division, Dr. Beth Murrow in an interview with BBC Science Focus.
The impact of “springing forward” is experienced not only by the elderly but also by young people. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that teens lost an average of 2 hours and 42 minutes of sleep on weeknights after the time change in 2015.
“We need morning light to wake up, set our body clocks, improve our mood, use light boxes in the morning to treat seasonal affective disorder, and sleep better at night.” Light promotes sleep at night, but light at night disturbs sleep,” Murrow explains.
Don’t worry, there are ways to combat the lost time. Here are some simple strategies:
1. Adjust your bedtime earlier for a few days before changing your clock.
If it’s too late this time, keep this in mind for the future. Sleep experts recommend going to bed 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night during the week leading up to daylight saving time.
Temporary insomnia symptoms affect about 30 to 35 percent of adults and can be caused by sudden changes in sleep schedules, such as the transition to daylight saving time, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Gradually adapting to the time change will help you adjust and even get extra sleep during the transition, says Murrow.
If you’re feeling drowsy, it may be helpful to go to bed a bit earlier tonight.
2. Get exposure to bright light in the morning
DST aims to provide an extra hour of sunlight in the evening for socializing after work, but it can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
To wake up in the morning and improve your sleep at night, exposing yourself to bright light is key. Natural light is preferred, especially in the summer when the sun rises earlier, according to Murrow.
“Exposure to bright morning light helps regulate your body clock, making it easier to sleep at night,” she explains.
3. Skip long naps and late-day caffeine, opt for exercise instead
If you enjoy naps, this may be disappointing news. But if you want to improve your sleep, avoid napping and caffeine.
Naps and caffeine can diminish your sleep drive, says Murrow. She suggests exercising instead.
Just remember, don’t exercise right before bed. Exercise can disrupt sleep as it raises your core body temperature and releases endorphins.
Research recommends waiting at least 90 minutes between exercising and going to bed to improve sleep quality, according to the European Journal of Sports Science.
4. Avoid using your phone before bedtime
It’s a well-known fact that using your phone before bed isn’t ideal, particularly when the clock shifts forward an hour.
Bright light in the morning helps wake you up, whereas bright light at night can hinder sleep. LED screens emit blue light, making them especially problematic at night.
Blue light disrupts the natural release of melatonin in the brain, says Murrow. Melatonin acts as a sleep switch by signaling the brain to rest when levels rise.
It may be time to eliminate daylight saving time
Despite strategies to mitigate the impact of clock changes, many experts advocate for eliminating this outdated system altogether.
Is it time for standard time to become the new norm?
alice gregory a professor of psychology and director of the Goldsmiths Sleep Institute, believes that living on a permanent standard time schedule offers health benefits. “Most people are tired of literally going back and forth,” Murrow agrees.
About our experts:
Dr. Beth Murrow is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist, an associate professor of clinical research, and the director of Vanderbilt’s Sleep Division. She conducts research on the relationship between medical diseases and sleep, as well as genetics and circadian biology.
alice gregory is a psychology professor at Goldsmiths University and has contributed to various research areas including the link between sleep and psychopathology, behavioral genetics, and sleep disorders. She is also known for her public engagement in science and has published popular science books.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
