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Waking up in the fall and knowing that daylight saving time ended overnight can be a nice feeling.
Especially when you sleep that extra hour.
However, in the spring the transition is reversed.
And that includes the panic of unexpectedly waking up an hour late for what I know you have scheduled that morning.
Yes, summer time in the northern hemisphere is back again.
Time change 2021: when the time changes in the US, Mexico and other countries
The change to daylight saving time occurs on the second Sunday in March at 2 am and ends on the first Sunday in November at 2 am in the United States.
This year, it will be March 14 when we set our clocks one hour ahead.
And it will run until November 1, when we delay them for an hour.
Now, people in Europe are not exempt.
However, they will have to wait two more weeks until March 28.
But, not everyone follows this tradition in the US For example, Hawaii and Arizona do not have the change to daylight saving time.
Neither did China and Japan.
Approximately 70 countries participate in this semi-annual schedule change exercise.
Daylight saving time is an enigma for many people who wonder why we do it.
Although their goal is to save energy and make better use of daylight, for most it is something they might forget.
Which in turn would lead them to accidentally oversleep or wake up less rested than they expected.
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In order not to struggle with this change twice a year, Dr. Shalini Paruthi advises people to prepare in advance.
And thus prevent it from interrupting our sleep routines.
Changing clocks twice a year is a bad idea and should stop, sleep experts say
Adults should get at least seven hours of sleep for good health, productivity and alertness during the day, said Paruthi, co-director of the Sleep Medicine and Research Center at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri.
"Although the clock will change, that does not mean that the duration of our sleep should change," he said.
It is important to consider the change of spring not as something that will make us lose an hour of sleep, but as something that will cause us to change our sleep habits to compensate for that hour, he added.
Depending on when you realize daylight savings time is approaching, there are a few ways you can prepare yourself, Paruthi suggests.
About a week before:
start to advance the time you fall asleep and wake up 10 minutes each day.
Three days before:
start to advance the time you go to sleep and wake up 20 minutes each day.
The night before:
easy, it's not too late to get seven hours of sleep.
Two options are to go to bed half an hour before and sleep another half hour in the morning or go to bed an hour before.
It's not just about getting a good night's sleep.
According to a 2020 study, the risk of fatal traffic accidents increases by 6% during the spring transition from standard time to daylight saving time.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine notes that "accumulating evidence indicates that the acute transition from standard time to daylight saving time incurs significant risks to public health and safety."
The dangers the group cites include adverse cardiovascular events.
For example, an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity, myocardial infarction, stroke, and hospital admissions due to the development of acute atrial fibrillation.
In addition to mood and circadian rhythm disorders.
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For this reason, the academy issued a position statement last August.
In the pronouncement he asked that daylight saving time be completely canceled by switching to standard time, which is simply keeping this schedule throughout the year.
Paruthi also advises some other ways you can prepare for change.
Also, these tips can become regular practice as they are good for your overall sleep hygiene.
Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is not the only thing to keep in mind.
As in that case, eating habits and meal times are important to help our internal clock to have some time signals, Paruthi explained.
If people eat at regular times every day, it helps keep their internal clock on schedule, he said.
"The other important thing, and I know we hear this all the time, is to turn off our electronic devices, at least half an hour before bed."
The blue light from our screens can be over-stimulating.
Which triggers an alert state, and the content on our phones can be very entertaining, Paruthi explained.
Try this 5 minute yoga routine before going to bed
"Sometimes our brain doesn't have that time to process and transition and get ready for sleep," he said.
Finally, set aside your bed only for sleeping and having sex, Paruthi warned.
Doing other activities, like watching TV or working, can accidentally cause your brain to form wrong habits, he said.
It was difficult for Paruthi to find a benefit in summer time.
Although he said that it cannot be harmful to remind everyone how important sleep is and that we should pay attention to it.
"At least this raises awareness that we really need to make sure we are getting enough sleep," he said.
Time change Summer schedule Sleep patterns Sleep