Fall Back to Better Sleep

The days are getting shorter, it’s getting dark earlier and we all enjoyed a full 60 minutes of extra sleep this past weekend with the end of daylight saving time. Right?

Maybe not — if you’re one of the four out of 10 Americans who the National Sleep Foundation says has problems with tossing and turning at night. So if you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep despite the recent time change, listen up.

“Any change in time that affects our schedule – including a time change that provides an extra hour of sleep – can throw us off and cause some people to have problems getting to and staying asleep,” said Edward Mezerhane, M.D., an adult and pediatric sleep medicine specialist affiliated with Baptist Health. “The positive news is that a good night’s sleep is attainable by making a few adjustments.”

When Daylight Savings Time Ends

It usually takes an average of one to three days for the body to acclimate to the shift back to standard time, according to Dr. Mezerhane. Knowing that can help get you adjust to the time change. If you find yourself sleepy but it’s too early for bed, he suggests pushing bedtime back 15 minutes a day. By the third or fourth day, your body should be in sync with the new time.

Moving forward, there are certain things you can do to keep your body’s circadian rhythm on par. Most importantly, Dr. Mezerhane stresses the significance of a establishing and keeping a consistent sleep schedule.

“Be strictest with your wake-up time,” he said. “This means not straying from it for even 15 minutes, and especially not on weekends.” Dr. Mezerhane offers the following advice for improving sleep.

Keys to Sleep Success

1. Maintain a sleep routine.

2. Disconnect. Turn off TVs and computers, and put down tablets and cell phones, two hours prior to going to bed.

3. Limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine consumption six hours before bedtime.

4. Refrain from exercising in the four hours before going to sleep. The first signal that the body is ready to go to sleep is body temperature, according to Dr. Mezerhane. Exercise raises body temperature, which also turns up the body’s metabolism.

5. Only go to bed when you’re sleepy.

6. Say hello to the sunshine. “Exposing yourself to natural light within 60 minutes of waking up helps set your body’s natural clock on the right course for the day,” said Dr. Mezerhane. He suggests opening the blinds and curtains immediately upon getting out of bed and not wearing sunglasses during the morning commute, if possible.

7. Scratch the nap. Being awake accumulates sleep debt, and taking a nap negates that debt. It may delay your natural sleep time that night, says Dr. Mezerhane.

People often think that one day of waking early and being unable to return to a slumber means they have insomnia, says Dr. Mezerhane. If that happens, he cautions not to worsen the problem by worrying.

Similarly, occasionally feeling sleepy at work or during daily activities because you didn’t get a good night’s sleep is normal, he says. “But if you find yourself falling asleep at your desk or having excessive daytime sleepiness, you need to see a sleep specialist.”

Sweet dreams!