The arrival of daylight savings time this weekend can throw off your sleep.
Aspirus Health Polysomnographic Technologist Rebecca Wagner says the one-hour shift can effect sleep patterns.
“Having a harder time falling asleep, getting to sleep and then staying asleep because it’s off your schedule. It can also effect how you wake up in the morning, making it harder to wake up,” said Wagner.
The adjustment period can lead to increased irritability, sluggishness, and a general feeling of being unwell.
Wagner says practicing good sleep hygiene can help.
“You don’t want to be taking long naps to try and make up for it. You want to make sure you don’t do any strenuous activities or exercise a couple of hours before bed. Staying away from that screen time, limiting that before bed. No caffeine or alcohol before bed, because that affects your sleep.”
In early March, as we shift from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time, research has shown people tend to lose about 40 minutes of sleep, especially on the following Monday.
The clocks spring forward one hour Sunday morning, March 10th.
