Daylight Savings Time is quickly approaching! If you are in the United States (excluding Arizona and Hawaii), at 2 a.m. on Sunday, our clocks will fall back one hour. Luckily, digital clocks will do this automatically! If you’re someone who already struggles with sleep, Daylight Savings can be disruptive and anxiety-inducing, especially if you are actively following the Full Sleep program and trying to keep to a strict sleep schedule.
You may be wondering how to prepare for this change in time. Here are some tips for an easier transition:
Starting tonight, you can shift your bed and wake time 20 minutes later, if your work/life schedule allows. Note that this requires shifting both the bed and wake times, so that your sleep window remains the same. Keep to this for two nights, and then adjust it another 20 minutes later for two nights. Hopefully, by Sunday your internal clock is aligned with Daylight Savings Time ending. An example is included below.
Original bed and wake time: 11 pm, 5 am
Wednesday’s bed and wake time: 11:20 pm, 5:20 am
Thursday: 11:20 pm, 5:20 am
Friday: 11:40 pm, 5:40 am
Saturday: 11:40 pm, 5:40 am
Sunday: 12 am, 6 am in the old Daylight Savings Time but is now 11 pm, 5 am in Standard Time
Make sure you get some sunlight in the morning, which will help your circadian rhythm. If it’s hard to actually get outside, even sitting next to a sunny window can help.
Don’t forget to change your clocks before going to sleep on Saturday night, so that your schedule isn’t thrown off when you wake up.
After Daylight Savings, you may feel tired for several days. It’s not recommended to take a nap or take extra caffeine, if you can safely do so. This will help make it easier to fall asleep at the right time at night.
If you’re in the Full Sleep program and you decide to shift your bed and wake time by 20 minutes every two days, be sure to let your sleep coach know. You can always reach out to them with questions or for additional tips.
As Daylight Savings quickly approaches, we wish you an easy transition into Autumn and the holiday season!
If you are struggling with moderate to severe sleep issues beyond just daylight savings, please visit fullsleep.com and see if you qualify for our six week CBT-I based program.
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