Summer time, or DST, is again about us.
With the exception of those in Arizona and Hawaii, we will “deprive the front” on March 9 by advancing our hour clocks.
“This change of an hour may not seem much, but it can wreak havoc on the mental and physical well-being of people in the short term,” explains Dr. Charles Czeisler, professor at Harvard Medical School’s sleep medicine division.
Difficulties to sleep can make people feel worn, groggy and less alert. A study At the Colorado University, Boulder found that car accidents increased by 6% after the change in spring.
Move your circadian rhythms
Summer time can worsen conditions such as anxiety, depression and seasonal affective disorders because it can make us sleep less.
According to experts, progress is the most disruptive of the two time changes we encounter. Our circadian rhythms, which are the natural cycles of 24 hours of the body which control vital functions such as food, mood and sleep, could be affected by the change of one hour.
Exposure to light plays a key role in circadian rhythms, which can be thrown by darker mornings and lighter evenings created by change.
With less morning light, your body can produce lower amounts of serotonin hormone, which raises our moods. Conversely, evenings with more light can delay the production of hormonal melatonin by your body, which promotes sleep.
Does spring lower you?
Seasonal emotional disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs with the change of seasons. The transition from winter to spring can trigger mental health problems for many people. About 10% People with SAD have the condition in spring and summer months.
The effects of time change on the brain
You can even experience a sleep deprivation in the first days of change of time because of bedtime later or awakening earlier than usual. According to a study By the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, people sleep 40 minutes less on Monday after the start of the DST than they do the other nights of the year.
Ways to help your body adapt to a change of time
Although some cases of seasonal emotional disorders and depression may require therapy and drugs, softer cases can be corrected with natural alternatives:
◾ Improve your sleep habits. You can change your sleep schedule over a few days by increments of 15 or 30 minutes to gradually adopt a new routine. A coherent pattern can help you make bed easier to adjust.
◾Injoy sunny days. Make a fast walk or sit in a park. Go out to absorb the sun. This will help adjust your internal clock.
Follow a healthy diet. Do not record in caffeine or alcohol. Both can affect your sleep habits.
◾ Maintaining the move. The exercise, even in small quantities, will help you feel better and more energetic. If you are limited to interior activities, try to go up and down the stairs, make simple yoga movements or even dance to your favorite music.
Contribution Jim Sergeant / USA TODAY AD USA TODAY network
Source Sleep Foundation, Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, Northwestern Medicine, Ut Southwestern Medical Center, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, The Mayo Clinic and Usa Today Research