Daylight Savings Time
Happy almost spring! We took a big step forward last weekend. With our clocks, that is! As far as spring is concerned, we seem further away now than we have all winter with the major snowstorms this week. The good news is it’s staying lighter later. The bad news is we lost an hour of sleep, and it seems like it’s almost impossible to adjust. So, in honor of Daylight Savings Time, we turned to WebMD to get some helpful tips for springing forward…
For starters, you should gradually get used to the change. If possible, start going to bed about 15 minutes earlier a few days before the actual change. Doing that will make the hour change a little less drastic. The next tip is to take a short nap during the day if you are dragging. A short nap in the afternoon is helpful, just make sure it isn’t too close to bedtime. An afternoon nap is better for you than sleeping in an hour longer in the mornings. It should only take a few days for your internal clock to adjust. This tip is difficult for me personally, but I can see why it’s important – keep regular sleep hours. You should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Here’s the hard part – even on the weekends! Doing this helps your body to regulate it’s sleep pattern and in the long run, you get the most out of the hours you sleep. If you are tired during the day, see how a nap works into your sleep pattern. For some people, a nap during the day can make it harder to sleep at night. For others, a 20 minute power nap can be beneficial without ruining their night’s sleep. The next tip is really important for your overall well being – get some exercise during the day. Even doing something as simple as walking can help you sleep better. You should try to get at least 30 minutes or moderate exercise three times a week or more. This one should be pretty obvious, but for coffee lovers like myself, it’s still a temptation… Alcohol and caffeine can interfere with sleep. Some pain relievers also contain caffeine, so if you are having trouble sleeping make sure that you avoid alcohol and caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime, and if you take pain relievers, check to make sure it doesn’t contain caffeine. Onto the next tip – relax before bedtime. Stress and overstimulation makes it really difficult to fall asleep. Basically, don’t binge watch Dexter performing his latest serial killing and then think you will calmly drift off to sleep. I try to keep our shows light and funny at night. Try writing out your schedule for the next day so you don’t lay awake thinking about all that you need to do. Create an environment that is sleep friendly. Black out blinds, earplugs, and a white-noise machine are all good things to try. A cooler room is usually more comfortable for sleeping. A comfortable mattress is really important for a good nights sleep as well. Lastly, if you can’t sleep, get up! Don’t keep looking at the clock. That only creates more anxiety. Give yourself 20 minutes. If you haven’t fallen asleep in that time frame, get up and go into another room. Keep the lights dim and do something quiet, like read until you are tired and ready to sleep.
Hopefully there are some tips that can help you survive this time change and get some much needed rest!
After you have had a good nights sleep, you can get up and listen to Burke Mays and Dr. Ann Hawkins on the St. Christopher Minute during The Tim Ridley Show, Friday morning at 6:30 am EST on Sirius XM channel 146. This week they will be discussing healthy food and exercise options for OTR drivers. Call in with comments or questions!
