| In 1874, then-minister to France Benjamin Franklin had a brilliant idea: Why not reset the clocks during the time of the year while most people are snoozing so that during their waking hours they get an extra hour of daylight. It would be another century before the idea is first adopted in the United States with goal of saving energy, and not until 1986 when an attempt to make the Daylight Saving Time uniform across the country would institute the change on the first weekend of every April.
While many people may not think much about changing the clock forward — beyond the usual griping of losing an hour of sleep and having to reset all the alarms — the daylight saving time actually throws off the body’s internal clock. That means if you’re feeling grumpy, tired, or unproductive during the first week or more in April, it’s because your body is going through an adjustment similar to changing time zones.
According to sleep disorder specialists, our bodies function based on so-called circadian rhythms that impact not only when a person goes to sleep or wakes up, but a variety of functions. For most people, those rhythms are based on a 24- to 25-hour cycles. Changes in the external environment such as the switch to daylight savings cause that internal clock to be reset.
The adjustment is particularly troublesome for those people who are already taking sleep shortcuts — according to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 60 percent of adults don’t get the minimum recommended of eight hours of sleep, and workers report they get less sleep now than they did five years prior.
Studies have also shown an increased number of accidents after the daylight saving time starts in April, due to decreased alertness. People also report a decrease in their ability to focus and perform their work duties. Reaction time, mood, memory and other functions are affected by sleep deprivation, and those effects could be compounded by having to reset your internal clock.
When it’s time to “spring forward” in April, it’s easier to adjust for someone who is well rested. But you can take several other steps to reset your body clock:
- If possible, expose yourself to bright light for as long as 30 minutes within five minutes of waking up, and avoid bright light two to three hours before bed.
- Try not to nap during the day — but if you need to, don’t do it within a few hours before bedtime because that will disrupt your regular sleep.
- Avoid caffeine late in the day and alcohol or a heavy meal too close to bedtime.
- Try to sleep more than usual the day or two before the time change and the next few days immediately after.
- Exercise or recreational activities are good but not later than four to six hours before bed.
- Don’t use sleep aids to force yourself into the zzz’s — they will only leave you feeling worse in the morning.
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