It’s almost time to turn back the clocks one hour and adjust your sleep schedule, with daylight saving time coming to an end for many states on Sunday, 7 April.
Some may feel the impact on their sleep time and circadian rhythm as the daylight hours decrease, and we lose the extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day.
Director of Sleep Research at Monash Health Professor Garun Hamilton joined The House of Wellness to discuss tips for adjusting to the change to minimise sleep disruption and the impact on our daytime functioning.
“There is evidence of sleep disruption at either end – when we’re going into or out of daylight saving,” Professor Hamilton says.
To minimise the sleep disruption caused by daylight saving transition, Professor Hamilton recommends gradually adjusting your bedtime in the days leading into the clock change.
“If you can stay up half an hour later than normal, and get up half an hour later, and (then) do that for a night or two before completely resynchronising,” suggests Professor Hamilton.
“Usually it only takes a couple of days and you should easily get back to your normal wake and bed time.”
To read The House of Wellness article, visit: https://www.houseofwellness.com.au/wellbeing/mental-wellness/daylight-saving-time