Eat Dinner An Hour Earlier, And Three Other Tips To Save Your Sleep During The Clock Change
We’re getting closer to British Summer Time (BST), which kicks in on 29 March.
It always happens on the last Sunday of March. And while some argue daylight saving time helps to reduce car accidents, it’s also been linked to worse sleep and higher incidences of heart attack and stroke.
To help you navigate it as successfully as possible (with minimal disruption to sleep), Dr Tim Mercer, an NHS GP partner and GP trainer with Opera Beds, has shared some tips for managing the shift.
1) Eat dinner earlier on Sunday, 29 March
Eating too close to your bedtime can “significantly impact the quality of sleep, particularly the deeper and more restorative phases such as deep and REM sleep,” psychologist Dr Leah Kaylor told HuffPost UK previously.
And Dr Mercer said that when the clocks change, our eating window should, too.
“On Sunday, 29th March, eat dinner an hour earlier than usual,” he suggested.
“Where we’re losing an hour, eating too close to your bedtime can disturb your sleep and cause indigestion.”
2) Try “sleep staggering”
Sure, you could stick to the same bedtime in the lead-up to the clock change and then shift to the hour change in one go. But as someone who’s done that in the past and regretted it, I’m willing to give Dr Mercer’s advice a try this year.
“As the clocks go forward and we move into British Summer Time, we lose an hour of sleep, which can upset our internal body clock. If you have a good sleep routine, you may consider moving it forward by 10-15 minutes in the days leading up to the change,” he suggested.
“This slow adjustment will help ease your body into the new schedule, reducing the shock to your system.”
3) Get that morning sunshine in
Sunlight can help to regulate our circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle, which can suffer during clock changes.
And morning sunlight in particular seems to be uniquely good at the job.
“Exposure to natural sunlight in the morning can help reset your internal clock. Light is one of the most powerful signals for regulating the circadian rhythm, so spending time outside in the early daylight hours can help your body adjust more quickly,” Dr Marcer explained.
4) Don’t forget to stay active
Exercise is great for sleeping well – half an hour a day will likely land you results that same night.
“Longer daylight hours provide more opportunities for outdoor activity, which can benefit your sleep,” said Dr Mercer.
“Engage in regular exercise, such as walks or outdoor sports, but avoid vigorous activity too close to bedtime, as this can be stimulating.”