Sleep Disorders and Springing Forward - Fighting with your circadian rhythm can cause almost everyone, even those who normally have an easy time falling asleep, to experience exhaustion or sleeplessness. Yet, we do it twice a year in most of the United States.
For some people, the biggest challenge of adjusting to daylight savings time is remembering to change all the clocks and getting up early enough on Sunday to make it to church or other appointments on time. But for others, the semi-annual switch is nightmarish.
The problem is that not everyone's circadian rhythm, the natural sleep cycle that the body tries to adjust to, corresponds to a 24-hour day. Worse yet, some seem to have a varied length, or be at polar opposites from what is expected.
My husband is one of those people. If he was without other commitments, his body would most happily adjust to a sleep schedule that began about 4 a.m. and lasted until 11 a.m. He can, with great personal effort, force his body to adjust to a more day-oriented schedule, but it usually results in poor sleeping, less than four hours a night, and eventually, exhaustion.
Every year, this rhythm is further hampered by the return of daylight savings time. This year, daylight savings time arrives April 13 for most people in the United States.
The spring forward, losing an hour of the time change, almost always shifts his sleep schedule forward as well. His body is reticent to change to the different number on the clock and still wants to sleep for that same immutable period of time.
To combat it this year, he is employing the suggestions of the National Sleep Foundation to change our clocks at midday Saturday, April 12, to try to trick himself into feeling sleepy earlier. But many of the suggestions don't seem likely to work. For example, the NSF says to go to bed at your regular time (as determined by the clock) on Sunday, avoid naps the day of the change, and get a full night's rest between Saturday and Sunday. Of course, it also says to get up at your usual time on Sunday.
The problem is that two of these things are contradictory.
He has insomnia anyway and trying to force his body to sleep when it isn't ready results in tossing and turning, but no rest. Then, if he gets up at the conventional time on Sunday, he will not have gotten a full night's rest.
While other insomniacs may have different troubles than he does, it is important to prepare for the coming time change and attempt small adjustments prior to the spring forward. By consulting your medical provider prior to the event, you may have better luck staying away on Sunday, April 13.
And, in the end, the National Highway Transportation Safety Board says that the time change is good for us all. Research shows that there is at least a one percent drop in traffic accidents after the shift to daylight savings time. ( news.yahoo.com )
For some people, the biggest challenge of adjusting to daylight savings time is remembering to change all the clocks and getting up early enough on Sunday to make it to church or other appointments on time. But for others, the semi-annual switch is nightmarish.
The problem is that not everyone's circadian rhythm, the natural sleep cycle that the body tries to adjust to, corresponds to a 24-hour day. Worse yet, some seem to have a varied length, or be at polar opposites from what is expected.
My husband is one of those people. If he was without other commitments, his body would most happily adjust to a sleep schedule that began about 4 a.m. and lasted until 11 a.m. He can, with great personal effort, force his body to adjust to a more day-oriented schedule, but it usually results in poor sleeping, less than four hours a night, and eventually, exhaustion.
Every year, this rhythm is further hampered by the return of daylight savings time. This year, daylight savings time arrives April 13 for most people in the United States.
The spring forward, losing an hour of the time change, almost always shifts his sleep schedule forward as well. His body is reticent to change to the different number on the clock and still wants to sleep for that same immutable period of time.
To combat it this year, he is employing the suggestions of the National Sleep Foundation to change our clocks at midday Saturday, April 12, to try to trick himself into feeling sleepy earlier. But many of the suggestions don't seem likely to work. For example, the NSF says to go to bed at your regular time (as determined by the clock) on Sunday, avoid naps the day of the change, and get a full night's rest between Saturday and Sunday. Of course, it also says to get up at your usual time on Sunday.
The problem is that two of these things are contradictory.
He has insomnia anyway and trying to force his body to sleep when it isn't ready results in tossing and turning, but no rest. Then, if he gets up at the conventional time on Sunday, he will not have gotten a full night's rest.
While other insomniacs may have different troubles than he does, it is important to prepare for the coming time change and attempt small adjustments prior to the spring forward. By consulting your medical provider prior to the event, you may have better luck staying away on Sunday, April 13.
And, in the end, the National Highway Transportation Safety Board says that the time change is good for us all. Research shows that there is at least a one percent drop in traffic accidents after the shift to daylight savings time. ( news.yahoo.com )
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