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Cake day: February 22nd, 2021
  • agile_squirrel@lemmy.mltoOpen Source@lemmy.ml•What Sleep Docs Want You to Know About Turning the Clocks Back and Shorter Winter Days
    41·
    14 days ago

    Try these tips to help your body adjust quickly to the new schedule.

    View Morning Sunlight

    ​Circadian rhythms are the 24-hour cycles that regulate sleep, wakefulness, eating, and other activities. To adjust your circadian rhythms to the end of daylight saving time,** get plenty of natural morning sunlight in your eyes.** This light acts as an anchor for your internal clock,** **helping ensure the body’s cells and organs function optimally and at the right times.

    • Get outside within 30-60 minutes of waking up to expose your eyes to sunlight.

      • If you wake before sunrise, turn on bright artificial lights until the sun rises. Once it rises, get outside if possible.

    • Try to get morning sunlight before the “circadian dead zone,” which occurs between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for most people but depends on your typical wake-up time.

      • While sunlight exposure during this period has many benefits (e.g., mood, vitamin D and hormone levels), it won’t effectively shift your internal clock.

    • This typically requires** about 10-15 minutes** of sunlight on a sunny day, while cloudy days may require 20 minutes or more.

      • Even on overcast days, natural sunlight is usually brighter than artificial lighting.
      • If natural sunlight isn’t an option for any reason, consider using very bright artificial lights or a light therapy lamp (ideally 10,000 lux or brighter).

    • Avoid wearing sunglasses for your morning sunlight viewing, but glasses and contact lenses are fine.

      • Always avoid staring directly at the sun or any intensely bright light sources at any time of day, as this can be painful and damage your eyes.

    View Afternoon Sunlight

    Make an effort to get outside again in the late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky or when it’s setting. Exposure to the late-afternoon sun helps adjust your eyes’ sensitivity and can buffer against the disruptive effects of artificial lights from screens and TVs in the evening.

    • While morning sunlight is critical for setting your circadian clock, afternoon sunlight serves as a secondary cue, signaling the body to prepare for night.

    Limit Nighttime Light

    Dim or turn off artificial lights in your environment after the sun goes down. Remember, the sunset will now happen an hour earlier, given the time change.

    • In the morning, we require a lot of bright light to set our circadian clock. Unfortunately, exposure to low levels of light (just 1,000–1,500 lux!) can disrupt circadian rhythms at night, especially short-wavelength light, such as blue light.
    • After sunset and in the hours before bedtime, opt for dim, low-positioned lights, such as table lamps, instead of overhead lights. This low ambient light supports natural melatonin production and makes it easier to fall asleep.
    • To help avoid short-wavelength light (blue and green light) after sunset, consider shifting screen settings to a red tint, using red “party” lights instead of LED or fluorescent lights, or wearing red-lens glasses.

    To maintain healthy sleep patterns, keep your bedroom dark and minimize light exposure during sleep hours.

    Strive for Consistent Sleep/Wake Times

    Aim to go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day, ideally within a 45-minute to one-hour window, even on weekends. This consistency reinforces your circadian rhythm and makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

    • Check out our Improve Your Sleep and Toolkit for Sleep newsletters for more on enhancing sleep.

    Leverage Temperature, Meals & Exercise

    While light is the primary method for adjusting our circadian clock, temperature, exercise, and meal timing also play important roles.

    • If you’re struggling to adjust to daylight saving time, temperature can be a powerful tool to shift your circadian clock.

      • Taking a warm bath or shower before bedtime is a science-supported method to improve your ability to fall asleep and sleep deeply. Initially, the warm water raises core body temperature, but the subsequent cooling that occurs afterward helps facilitate falling asleep.
      • Keep your bedroom cool (about 67°F or 19.4°C), or consider using a temperature-controlled mattress cover.

    • To adapt quickly to the end of daylight saving time, wait to eat until your usual mealtime at the new time, even if you feel hungry beforehand.

    • Exercise significantly enhances sleep quality and duration. Sticking to your regular exercise schedule will also help your body adjust effectively.

    The above text is from the Huberman Lab newsletter.