Getting to bed a little earlier tonight and tomorrow could help you survive Monday?s commute.
Daylight-saving time takes effect 2 a.m. Sunday, when clocks skip forward to 3 a.m. And most people remain groggy by the time they get on the road Monday, sleep specialists say.
“The effects of daylight-saving time are comparable to those that come from traveling and changing time zones,” said Michael Breus, a diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine “Fortunately, there are ways to curtail those jet lag-like feelings so you feel as few effects as possible.”
Breus advises you gradually push your sleep time back in the days before it really matters. Ideally, you started by going to sleep 15 minutes earlier than usual last night. If not, try a half hour early tonight.
You can also get the most out of your sleep time by turning off the lights a little earlier, said Dr. Charlene Gamaldo, neurologist and co-director of the Johns Hopkins University Sleep Disorders Center.
“Eliminate your sunlight exposure three to five hours before bedtime, more if you?re a sensitive person,” she said. “Sunlight is a very important cue for the brain to figure out when it?s supposed to be asleep and when it?s supposed to be awake.”
