Its the time of year again. Spring forward. We lose an hour of sleep and its rough. We gain more daylight but loosing that hour takes a bit to get use to. Yay for more daylight, boo for loosing an hour of sleep. Some people have no problem adjusting to this change but some of us have a lot of trouble. When we fall back I really don’t have trouble adjusting but this losing an hour is rough. I find myself “sleeping in” and waking up groggy and feeling like it takes me forever to start my day. So I have been thinking of way to prepare myself this year and thought I would share. Here are a few tips for making the transition to longer days and spring a little easier.
Start going to bed earlier a few days before. 15-30 minutes. Strive for 7-8 hours of sleep. Adjusting your sleep prior will help you will make it easier for you. Avoid the urge to sleep in on to make up for the loss of sleep or to prepare for it. Stick to your routine. We are creatures of habit and daily routines keep life easier when changes are happening.
Be active. You will be more likely to be tired and sleep well. Get outside, workout, don’t be a couch potato. Even if its a walk around the neighborhood just move you will thank yourself. Just make sure you leave yourself time to relax before bed.
Start cutting off your caffeine intake earlier then usual. 6 hours before bed time is ideal. Cut off alcohol consumption 2 hours prior to when you want to sleep. Alcohol and caffeine disrupt the natural sleep cycle. Turn off your electronics 1 hour prior to sleep. Removing distractions will make it so you sleep soundly all night. These are good tips for every night but are especially important when your schedule is already disrupted.
Take time adjusting. Slowly start resetting your bed time by 15 minutes each night until you are back to the normal time. Just like when you travel it takes time to adjust and adjust back. Be nice to yourself. Take care of yourself.
