As much of America “returns” to standard time, plan on getting an extra hour of great sleep. But don’t forget to go outside and soak up the morning sun. This will help reset your body clock faster.
Daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday. This means you should set your clock back an hour before bed. Standard time will continue until March 8th, when we will be “moving forward” again. With the return of daylight saving time.
There are many complaints about the twice-yearly time changes. The spring switch tends to be more difficult, and the sleep you supposedly recover in the fall is lost. However, many people lament the end of daylight saving time in the fall. With the days already getting shorter and the clocks moving forward, you may have fewer hours of daylight to exercise and enjoy the outdoors after school or work.
Some health groups, such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have been pushing for standard time year-round for years.
A new study from Stanford University agrees, finding that switching back and forth is the worst option for your health. The study showed that choosing either time was healthier, but found that permanent standard time was slightly better. Because it is more in line with the sun and human biology, the so-called circadian rhythm.
“The best way to think of it is like the central clock is like the conductor of an orchestra, and each organ is a separate instrument,” says Jamie Zeitzer, co-director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Science at Stanford University.
This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, which focuses on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Hope you are well.
Having more light in the morning and less light in the evening is the key to keeping all instruments in sync and rhythms on schedule. When clocks are disrupted regularly due to time changes or other reasons, the functioning of the body’s organ systems, such as the immune system and metabolism, “just gets a little slower,” he said.
most countries Do not observe daylight saving time. For those people (mainly in North America and Europe) The dates on which the clock is changed vary. In the United States, Arizona and Hawaii remain unchanged and remain on standard time.
Here’s what you need to know about the biannual ritual.
how the body reacts to light
The brain has a master clock, which is set by exposure to sunlight and darkness. This circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that determines when we feel sleepy and when we feel more awake. This pattern changes with age. This is one reason why early risers evolve into late-sleepers teens.
Morning light resets the rhythm. In the evening, levels of a hormone called melatonin begin to spike, causing sleepiness. Too much light in the evening, whether it’s late outside during daylight saving time or from artificial light like a computer screen, delays the light surge and causes the cycles to get out of sync.
And the circadian clock affects more than just sleep, affecting things like heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones, and metabolism.
How do changes in time affect sleep?
Because your work or school start time doesn’t change when your clock changes, a one-hour change in your clock can throw off your sleep schedule.
The change to daylight saving time in the spring can be a little difficult, as mornings get darker and nights get brighter, making it harder to fall asleep on time. The first few days have been associated with an increase in car accidents and even heart attacks.
Some people suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that is usually associated with shorter daylight hours and lack of sunlight during fall and winter.
Many people adjust easily, like recovering from jet lag after a trip. But changing hours can add pressure to shift workers whose schedules are already out of sync with the sun’s rays, or who are regularly sleep-deprived for other reasons.
Approximately one in three U.S. adults gets less than the recommended seven or more hours of sleep each night, and more than half of U.S. teens don’t get the recommended eight or more hours of sleep on weeknights.
Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, obesity, and many other problems.
How to prepare for the changing times
In both fall and spring, changing your bedtime by just 15 minutes each night for a few days before the change can help you get used to it.
But morning sunlight is essential to resetting your circadian rhythm for healthy sleep. If you can’t go outside, sit by the window.
Will the US ever get rid of time changes?
In parliament, sun protection law Proposals to make daylight saving time permanent have stalled in recent years.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Education Media Group. AP is solely responsible for all content.
