Our clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8th, and for most of us, this means losing an hour of sleep. This is a big deal even if we are getting our hours of sleep on Nollapelli's soft sheets. Last November we talked about how to get your sleep back on track when gaining an hour. This Daylight Savings is all about being proactive.
According to our friends at the National Sleep Foundation, “giving up just one hour of shuteye can negatively impact how you feel and function during the day, perhaps even compromising your alertness and reaction time while driving.” This is especially true for those of us who are already sleep-deprived, which, if we are honest, is most of us.
There is no time to waste when it comes to sleep. Quality sleep is essential; it is not just a piece of wellness, sleep is the foundation.
Leading up to Daylight Savings, go to bed earlier using 15-minute increments. Our bodies prefer to stay on a consistent sleep schedule. A gradual adjustment during a time change is essential to not skipping a beat on our sleep.
Starting on Wednesday, go to bed 15 minutes earlier than your set bedtime. Increase this adjustment by 15 minutes each night. We are visual folks, so let’s look at an example.
For a set bedtime of 9:30 p.m…
- On Wednesday, go to bed at 9:15 p.m., fifteen minutes prior to original bedtime
- On Thursday, go to bed at 9:00 p.m., 30 minutes prior to original bedtime
- On Friday, go to bed at 8:45 p.m., 45 minutes prior to original bedtime
- On Saturday, go to bed at 8:30 p.m., an hour prior to original bedtime
This gradual transition, a simple act of sleepcare, makes it easier for our bodies to adjust to the upcoming lost hour. A smoother sleep adjustment ultimately means our productivity during the day, mental and physical health, and overall mood will not be as negatively impacted.
This Daylight Savings, combat the clocks springing forward by slowly pushing back your bedtime. It’s a small, incremental change for a big reward.
CTA: We look forward to our set bedtime each night, shouldn’t you look forward to your sheets as well? Come sleep with us.
