Daylight savings ends in WA soon. Are you ready? These 5 tips from Farmers’ Almanac may help
Daylight saving time changes have a knack for wrecking people’s sleep schedules, but they don’t have to, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, requiring all Americans to set their clocks back one hour. Daylight saving time has been ongoing since March 13 this year.
The practice of moving clocks ahead or back one hour each year has deprived many Americans of sleep for decades — so much that some state and federal lawmakers have tried to stop it. So far, their efforts have fallen short.
So while the time change is happening again this year, there are things residents can do to mitigate the damage to their sleep cycles.
Here are five tips the Almanac suggests people try to stave off daylight saving fatigue.
Good bedtime habits
In the days after the time change, stop drinking caffeinated beverages and alcohol 4 to 6 hours before bedtime. Also, if you exercise, avoid workouts within 4 hours of sleep; working out raises your body temperature temporarily, making it harder to fall asleep.
Get consistent sleep
Get at least 7 hours of sleep on the days before and after the time change. The closer you stick to your regular routine, the faster your body adjusts.
If you have trouble with the time changes, consider gradually adjusting the time you fall asleep and wake up by 15 to 20 minutes daily a few days in advance. The gradual change could help your body slowly adjust.
Keep dinnertime consistent and eat more protein
On the days around the time change, eat at the same time or even a little early. Try to shift your mealtime forward 15 minutes for a few days in a row to help ease the transition.
Avoid overeating; if you feel like having a snack, choose one high in protein instead of carbohydrates; high-carb meals can often delay and disturb your sleep.
Take a short nap
If you’re starting to stack up sleepless hours, taking a short nap during the day could be beneficial instead of continuing without any sleep. Try not to take naps longer than 20 minutes.
Get more sunlight
Go outside and expose yourself to morning sunlight on Sunday to help regulate your internal clock. Having shorter daylight hours can impact our mood and energy levels, decreasing serotonin.
Try to take some time out of your morning or early afternoon for a walk while the sun is out.
