Adjusting to More Daylight

This year, National Sleep Awareness Week is March 10-16 and this weekend, we are going to lose some sleep due to daylight savings time.

On Sunday, March 10 we will “spring forward” by setting our clocks ahead one hour to adjust to daylight savings time standards. Even though the thought of losing an hour of sleep is not usually a cause for celebration, it does remind us that spring is around the corner. 

On the flip side, during the initial few days of daylight savings, we may be less productive, less attentive, and less awake as our bodies adjust to this shift. This daytime sleepiness we will experience can last as long as one to two weeks. 

Daytime sleepiness or drowsiness is associated with reduced short-term memory, ability to learn, negative mood, and ability to perform certain tasks like driving. The most recent data from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, 2021) estimates drowsiness was a factor in 21% of all fatal crashes and 6% of all non-fatal crashes. 

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (ASSM) supports the replacement of daylight-saving time with permanent standard time because it aligns best with our natural circadian biology. “Permanent standard time helps synchronize the body clock with the rising and setting of the sun,” said Dr. James A. Rowley, president of the AASM. “This natural synchrony is optimal for healthy sleep, and sleep is essential for health, mood, performance, and safety.” 

Regardless of AASM’s position on adopting standard time, most states in the US, including Vermont, continue to adhere to the daylight-savings time model. But do not despair! There are ways to prepare for the inevitable weariness you might feel at the onset of daylight savings time. The first thing to do is to plan ahead with a new sleep schedule to give time for your body to adjust to the new time. The AASM suggests that you go to bed 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night before the time change. Doing this may help ease your body into the new schedule. On the night of the time change (Saturday, March 9), set your clocks ahead one hour during the early part of the evening. Then go to sleep at your normal bedtime. You can also try eating dinner an hour earlier, taking your walk an hour earlier, or changing other routines to help your body clock adjust. 

If you are a “night owl” and have a natural tendency to stay up later at night, you are at an increased risk for delayed sleep phase disorder, which occurs when your usual bedtime and wake time are much later than the social norms. Night owls have a hard time falling asleep when they go to bed early and may be unable to compensate for the time change. As a result they may go to bed even later than normal, depriving themselves of needed sleep. People who are “early birds” are more likely to be restless after the return to standard time. 

It is important to remember that children are affected by the time change also. Parents may observe difficulty when waking children in the morning, irritability later in the day, and a decreased ability to concentrate and learn. As with adults, children should maintain a sleep schedule, going to bed at the same time at night and wake up at the same time in the morning. A proper amount of sleep is needed for your body and brain to function normally throughout the day. Poor performance in school can stem from a lack of sleep. 

With or without daylight savings time, if you think you, or someone in your family, is suffering from a sleep disorder, please consult your physician. Getting a good night’s sleep is important no matter the time change, and a critical part of your overall wellbeing.