This autumn, daylight saving time has us “falling back” — or gaining an hour of sleep — during the wee hours of Sunday, November 1. While that may sound like the perfect way to recover from a weekend of Halloween fetes (or candy comas), it can be surprisingly jarring on the body.
“The time change is kind of a society-imposed jet lag,” says Dr. Ilene Rosen, who serves on the board of directors for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and is board-certified in sleep medicine.
How to Deal
In a perfect world, DST wouldn’t shock our circadian rhythms twice annually. “Ideally we would be able to allow our internal circadian rhythms to move along naturally with the light-dark cycles that change from season to season,” says Dr. Rosen. Since that’s not possible, try these tips to transition back to standard time with ease.
1. Don’t Stay Up Late
When you set the clocks back each fall, “your circadian rhythms will cause you to want to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier than your external environment,” says Dr. Rosen. “One of the biggest mistakes that people make … is staying up later and thinking that they’re going to get an extra hour of sleep,” she adds. Because your circadian rhythms may wake you early Sunday morning, it’s important not to count on that extra snooze time.
2. Use the Sun
The fall time change is easier than the spring, says Dr. Rosen, particularly for those who work standard daylight hours, since you’re able to hack your sunlight exposure. Try to get as much late afternoon sun exposure before switching the clocks back, and as much morning sun exposure as possible after switching the clocks to help ease the transition.
3. Take Your Time
“If you work a non-traditional schedule, or have a little extra time in the morning, it might ease the transition if you go to sleep and wake up 10-15 minutes later each day the week before the time change,” says Dr. Rosen. As always, adding a nap can help fend off drowsiness for anyone still struggling with the switch back to standard time.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/23/health/daylight-savings-time-body-effects/index.html
http://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/usa/washington-dc?year=2015