It’s the time change we have all been waiting for – that marvelous extra hour sent like a gift from the gods. The overall idea of gaining an extra hour of sleep is great, but only if you make sure to use it to your full advantage.
Your Own Personal Sleep Test
We all wonder whether or not we are getting enough sleep – now is your time to find out. Stick to your normal sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time your normally would and set your alarm for the next morning when you would normally wake up. The time on your phone will automatically change at 2AM, and you will gain an extra hour.
- If you wake up with the alarm, you know that your body needed that extra hour of sleep, and maybe you should adjust your sleep schedule to include an extra hour each night.
- If you wake up before the alarm, you’re getting the exact amount of sleep your body needs. Continue with your normal routine.
This is a great tool for finding your ideal bed time. While getting that extra hour is awesome, it does have its downfalls. With some minor adjustments you can offset those.
How to Cope with the Time Change
The next couple of days after the time change are going to really effect you. Do you notice that as the sun goes down, you become more tired, and when the sun comes back up in the morning your “body clock” wakes you up? That’s because our bodies are used to a certain time schedule and the schedule of the sun has a great effect on us.
With the fall time change, we have more sunlight in the morning instead of the evening. A simple way to overcome this is to slightly adjust your daily schedule. Try to expose yourself to as much sun as you can. Getting this sun exposure in the morning can boost your mood and start your day off right. Also, make it a point to take a break in your day at work to go outside and soak up some rays.
The time change can be rough on us no matter if we are losing an hour or gaining it. The good thing is there are ways to offset these effects. For instance, using the time change to your advantage provides a perfect chance to test your sleep.
If you are concerned about the amount of sleep you are getting and waiting until the time change every year seems too long of a wait, consider a sleep tracker. Now there are apps and devices, like the Beautyrest Sleep Tracker, that can connect to your phone and monitor your sleep every night. If you are interested in finding out more information on how to make your bed a smart bed give us a call at one of our three locations:
Springfield: 417.890.5788
Branson: 417.334.9784
Columbia: 417.443.8987