Daylight Saving Time Hangover: 10 Tips for a Better Night's Sleep

Daylight Saving Time is here, which means you lost an hour while you were sleeping. This means you, and almost everyone else, will probably feel more tired than usual over the next few days.

Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences. Experts believe losing even one hour of sleep takes its toll, and the evidence shows that traffic accident rates spike on the Monday following the start of Daylight Saving Time.

• See Also: Wake Up, America; You're Not Getting Enough Sleep

Many Americans find it difficult to get enough sleep on a regular basis. Consider these tips if you’re struggling with this problem:

1. Keep a consistent sleep schedule. If you go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, it will be much easier for you to get the recommended average of 7 or so hours of sleep a night. It should also make falling asleep and waking up much easier. Staying up late or sleeping in occasionally isn’t a disaster, but try to keep it to a minimum.
2. Don’t go to bed hungry or full. Try to leave about 2 hours between your last meal and falling asleep. Hunger can make it difficult to fall asleep, and calories eaten at bedtime are more likely to be converted into fat.
3. Eat a healthy diet. You’ll want to do this anyway for other reasons, but an unhealthy diet can cause poor sleep habits.
4. Reduce alcohol and tobacco consumption. Alcohol may seem to help you fall asleep, but the sleep will be less restful. And as a stimulant, nicotine can disrupt your typical healthy sleep cycles.
5. Turn off all screens an hour before bed. The light emitted by phones, computers, and TVs can prevent the brain’s production of melatonin, which helps you feel tired. As hard as it is, limiting your exposure to this light can make a huge difference.
6. Don’t do work in bed. If you’re sitting in bed with your laptop, you will associate being in bed with work. Leave work outside of the bedroom and it will be easier to get a good night’s sleep.
7. Try sleeping with your feet outside the covers. Some sleep researchers have found that sleeping with your feet outside the covers, even if they get cold, can help you fall asleep faster. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s worth trying if you’re tossing and turning at night.
8. Avoid napping during the day. As tempting as it is, it can throw off your natural sleep cycles. If you do nap, keep it short.
9. Exercise during the day, but not too close to bedtime. Living an active lifestyle is essential for overall health, and it can help you sleep better too. But physical exercise releases adrenaline and can stimulate your brain, which can make falling asleep immediately afterward difficult.
10. Get earplugs, blackout curtains, or a white noise player if necessary. A good night’s sleep is profoundly important. If your environment isn’t conducive to sleep, find a way to minimize disruptions.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, UCSF Medical Center, Valley Sleep Center

Consult your doctor if your trouble sleeping persists or causes serious disruptions in your life.

Photo Credit: Kārlis Dambrāns via Flickr