Daylight Savings Time 2009 - Falling Back

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by Deborah Huso

With the end of Daylight Savings Time just around the corner, most of us will experience a bit of the doldrums as the sun goes down sooner, often before we even get home from work, and we get ready to face shorter days and a lot less sunshine. But “falling back” on November 1 might do more than give you a bout of temporary depression; it could also affect your sleep quality, especially if you’re someone already prone to insomnia or other sleep problems.

“Any change in sleep patterns can produce negative effects,” says Craig Schwimmer, MD, Medical Director of The Snoring Center in Dallas and Fort Worth, “and if you already have sleep issues, an hour’s time difference can be huge.” Schwimmer says all we have to do is look at how a shift in bedtime ritual affects the sleep and disposition of young children to understand the impacts of a change in routine. Adults can experience similar troubles, and Schwimmer recommends following proper “sleep hygiene” to make sure “falling back” doesn’t cause you several days worth of sleep trouble. Here are some tips to make falling asleep and feeling rested easier:

• Keep your sleep routine consistent, going to bed and rising at the same time every day.
• Follow a relaxing routine before bedtime. Take a warm bath or shower. Read a book, or do deep breathing exercises.
• Reserve your bed for sleep and sex alone so that you associate it with pleasure and relaxation. Never engage in stressful activities like bill paying or working on the laptop while in bed.
• Avoid caffeine consumption after noon. And remember that’s not just soda and coffee. Chocolate contains caffeine as well.
• Don’t drink alcohol before bed. While an evening drink may make you relaxed and help you fall asleep faster, it will disrupt your normal sleep rhythms, causing you to get less restful sleep or even to wake up in the night.
• Avoid eating heartburn inducing foods in the evening. Acid reflux will not only keep you uncomfortable and awake, but it can worsen troubles for those suffering from snoring and sleep apnea.
• Make sure to see sunlight every morning, particularly if you’re having trouble feeling rested at the beginning of the day. Getting a good burst of sunshine in your face for even a few minutes can help reset your circadian rhythm.
• If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes of lying in bed, get up and do something relaxing for awhile until you do feel sleepy. Tossing and turning will only make it worse.

“These simple behaviors are more effective than sleeping pills,” says Schwimmer. “Humans are creatures of habit, and rituals make us feel comfortable.”

And if you find yourself fighting winter doldrums because you’re not getting enough sun, a problem many of us face when we don’t get home from work till after dark, make an effort to bring sunlight into your life every day. Open the sun roof on your car during your morning commute, or make time to stop for breakfast and get out and stretch in the sunlight for a few minutes.

Whatever you do, avoid sacrificing sleep. “Sleep is a basic biological need,” Schwimmer points out. “It’s one of the best ways to improve long-term health and happiness.”