Tips for sleeping better during Daylight Saving Time
With the arrival of summer, we welcome Daylight Saving Time which causes excitement and anticipation, as it marks the arrival of longer sunny days and increased outdoor activities. However, while Daylight Saving Time brings with it a host of positive changes, it can also have some impact on our sleep.
The Origin of Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a system of adjusting time whereby clocks are turned up by one hour at 01:00 GMT on the last Sunday in March each year, marking the start of Daylight Saving Time. Its origins can be traced back to the early 20th century, when it was introduced in a number of countries with the aim of saving energy by maximising the use of light during the day and reducing the use of artificial lighting in the evening.
How Daylight Saving Time Affects Sleep
Although Daylight Saving Time is intended to conserve energy and lengthen daylight hours, its implementation may negatively affect our sleep. Clocks set one hour faster may disrupt our biological clocks, causing our bodies to feel the change in our sleep schedule.
1. Biological Clock Adjustment: The arrival of Daylight Saving Time means that clocks will be adjusted forward by one hour. While this change may seem small, it could disrupt our biological clocks and cause our sleep patterns to be affected. Many people may find this disturbing as it will take a while for their bodies to adjust to the new schedule.
2. Difficulty falling asleep: Due to Daylight Saving Time, we have to wake up an hour earlier. It becomes harder to fall asleep at night because of the brighter light.
3. Sleep deprivation disrupts our biological clock: it can take weeks to recover.
4. Sleep cycle disruption: you may find it more difficult to fall asleep and wake up at your usual time due to the time shift disrupting your body’s natural circadian rhythm.
5. Changes in mood and productivity: Sleep deprivation can affect mood, leading to feelings of irritability or unhappiness. It can also reduce daytime productivity and concentration.
Daylight Saving Time Sleep Tips
Summer nights are relatively shorter and days become longer, sometimes accompanied by sweltering heat, and while daylight saving time only reduces sleep time by one hour, it does affect our sleep rhythms. It can take some people days or even weeks to adjust to the change and return to their normal sleep patterns. So how can you make sure you get enough sleep during Daylight Saving Time? Here are some tips for a healthy transition:
1. Wake up in the morning with as much exposure to sunlight as possible, and open the curtains in every room to let the bright sunlight flood in and energise you for the start of the day.
2. Give your biological clock a new signal to start the day with exercise such as walking or cycling to school or work. You will sleep better at night if you are more active and fit during the day.
3. Take a break,If you feel sleepy after the Daylight Saving Time change, take a nap in the afternoon, but not too close to bedtime. Avoid sleeping longer in the morning. Your biological clock will adjust in a few days.
4. Limit screen time,Screens emit blue light, which interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. Exposing yourself to blue light before bedtime can make falling and staying asleep difficult, as well as the fact that it’s easy to get caught up in the task at hand and lose track of time when using a screen. This can make it difficult to relax before bed.
5. Take a hot bath in the evening to relax
6. Avoid stimulants, alcohol and caffeine can disturb sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid alcohol and caffeine for 4 to 6 hours before bedtime. Smokers should avoid smoking before bedtime, which is another stimulant.
7. Going to bed at about the same time each day will help you fall asleep faster and maintain a healthy sleep rhythm.
8. Creating a comfortable sleeping environment, investing in a mattress cooling system to cool your mattress can help you create a more conducive environment for sleep, KOZ-E Sleep is an advanced cooling and heating mattress cover that provides a comfortable sleeping experience while keeping your bed cool, allowing you to easily set the desired temperature, ranging from 12 to 46 degrees Celsius, this is achieved through a water circulation system that ensures an even temperature throughout the mattress, which provides cooling directly to the body, allowing you to fall asleep quickly and comfortably.Learn more about KOZ-E Sleep.
Conclusion
Daylight Saving Time increases the length of the day, but can disrupt our sleep and take time to adjust our biological clocks, leading to difficulty falling asleep and reduced sleep quality. In order to easily transition to Daylight Saving Time and ensure adequate sleep, we can take some healthy actions, such as more exposure to sunlight in the morning, regular exercise, limiting screen time, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, etc., and using a mattress cooling system to create a comfortable sleep environment to help you fall asleep easily. In summary, with healthy living habits and a comfortable sleep environment, we can better adapt to Daylight Saving Time , and maintain good sleep quality.