It’s that time of year again to Spring ahead one hour. Even though our brain knows the time on the clock has changed, our bodies internal clock does not. When the clocks move ahead in the Spring, you are robbed one hour of sleep. Here are some helpful tips to help you deal with that change.
- Gradually transition into the time change – go to bed 15 minutes early, starting several days before the time change
- Give yourself a sleep break after the time change – if you feel sleepy, take a 30 minute nap in the afternoon
- Know how much sleep you need – find your ideal number of sleep by, sleeping without an alarm on the weekend and see when you wake
- Keep regular sleep hours – go to bed and wake up the same time each day
- Get some exercise during the day – try for 30 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed – alcohol and caffeine can interfere with sleeping
- Relax before bed – create a bedtime ritual that is relaxing
If you think you are having a hard time with the time change, your children are too. The loss of sleep is even tougher on children. There are things you can do to also help your children with the time change as well.
- Take baby steps – before the time change, take several nights and put the children to bed 15 minutes early, in 15 minutes intervals and wake them up earlier
- Control the lights – dimming the lights and turning off electronics 30 minutes before bed
- Stick with a routine – before bed routines helps keep your children on a schedule
- Get enough sleep – make sure that every night your children are getting the amount of sleep he/she needs
With Daylight Savings, brings longer days and shorter nights. By following some of these tips, it might be a little easier on yourself and children when it comes to the time change and loss of sleep.
