As Americans and several others around the world are getting ready to 'fall back' in less than two weeks, the age-old arguments of whether or not Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a good idea, are resurfacing. Interestingly many scientists agree that DST is not beneficial for our health [1,2,3], whilst some even refer to it as an experiment that's conducted biannually [4]. However, whether DST is something that you look forward to or something you despise, it remains a reality that we have to navigate and prepare for, for the sake of our health.
The end of daylight saving time brings about shorter days and earlier sunsets, and according to research, this sudden change in the amount of daylight we're exposed to, can take our bodies up to a week to adjust to [5]. Daylight savings time is essentially a set disruption in the circadian rhythm - our body's natural sleep-wake cycle, that happens twice a year [4] and not only disrupts our productivity and energy levels, but also can have a number of negative health consequences [5].
Here's our top 3 practical tips to help make this upcoming change, less disruptive:
1. Improve your sleep hygiene:
By keeping your sleep and wake times consistent, avoiding caffeine in the afternoons, limiting blue light exposure at least one hour before bed and keeping your room dark and cool are all ways in which we can achieve some sleep consistency [6].
2. Sunlight exposure early in the day:
Sunrises and sunsets are not just the proverbial ‘pretty face’. The wavelengths embedded in these beautiful colors are what stimulate the neurons in our eyes and brains and then determine our circadian rhythms, which the rest our bodies then sync with [7,8].
Exposure to natural sunlight early in the day (ideally first thing in the morning) can have a wide range of positive effects on our mental and physical health, including elevated mood throughout the day, increased focus and alertness, improved sleep at night, better immune system function, as well as improved hormone and neurotransmitter output [7,8].
3. Avoid Eating Close to Bedtime
Midnight snacking or eating within an hour of your regular bedtime can keep you from getting adequate amounts of deep sleep or even throw off your sleep completely, since the body suddenly starts focusing on digestion as opposed to rest. Not to mention a wide range of side effects such as acid reflux, nighttime heartburn and a slower metabolism [9,10].
In addition to these 3 tips, consider supplementing with melatonin, ashwagandha, valerian root, Lion's mane or chamomile during the next couple of weeks to help your body adjust to the time change.
Keep an eye our for more about these supplements in our next blog post!
Sweet Dreams!
,