Daylight saving time: tips for a festive changeover

When daylight saving time changes, we adjust our social clock. We have to get up and go to bed an hour earlier than winter time and sunrise/sunset: our biological clock has to adapt. The best way to achieve this is to have less light in the evening and more in the morning. In summer, when we set our alarm clock and get up on time, we have enough light in the morning and, although the long evening light encourages us to go to bed late, most people manage with some difficulty to finally shift their biological clock. True vesper types, with their slow biological clock, have the most difficulty; they have to make more corrections than morning types.

Daylight saving time

Summer time, often associated with longer days and mild evenings conducive to outdoor activities, isn’t always as beneficial as you might think. In fact, the twice-yearly time change can have surprising and sometimes negative consequences on our physical and mental well-being.

Circadian rhythm disruption: Daylight saving time forces our bodies to adjust abruptly to a new light-dark cycle. This change can disrupt our circadian rhythm, or internal clock, which regulates many aspects of our physiology, including sleep, metabolism, body temperature and hormone release. Disruption of this rhythm can lead to fatigue, irritability and loss of concentration.

Impact on health: Studies have shown that the time change can have an impact on health. For example, there is a slight increase in the number of heart attacks and strokes in the days following the switch to daylight saving time. Experts suggest that this increased risk may be due to sleep disruption and the additional stress that the time change imposes on our bodies.

Effects on sleep: The loss of an hour’s sleep when switching to daylight saving time may seem minimal, but it can have a significant impact on our well-being. Many people find it difficult to adjust to the new schedule, which can lead to short-term sleep problems such as insomnia or reduced sleep quality. This can affect our mood, our performance at work or school, and our ability to manage stress.

Impact on safety: The switch to summer time is also associated with an increase in road accidents. Fatigue due to lack of sleep can reduce driver alertness, increasing the risk of accidents. What’s more, the time change can disrupt routines, contributing to greater recklessness on the roads.

Mental disorders: Time change can aggravate certain mental disorders, such as depression or seasonal affective disorder. The mismatch between our internal clock and natural light cycles can affect our mood and general well-being.

Despite these challenges, there are strategies to mitigate the negative effects of daylight saving time, such as gradually adapting our sleep schedule before the time change, exposing ourselves to natural light during the day to help readjust our internal clock, and creating an environment conducive to sleep.

Summer time may symbolize the return of fine weather, but it also brings its share of challenges for our health and well-being. Awareness of these effects and the adoption of preventive measures can help smooth the transition and minimize negative impacts.

Daylight saving time is not natural, because our biological rhythm is synchronized with winter time.

This one hour can literally be very painful for you.

Circadian rhythm

We all live by our circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour internal clock that determines how our body functions change throughout the day.

Your cognition, metabolism, sleep-wake cycle and many other functions all follow a circadian rhythm.

Maintaining a constant circadian rhythm is essential for overall health. Inconsistent eating and sleeping habits can disrupt your circadian rhythm and increase your risk of developing a number of diseases. Similarly, not getting enough quality sleep can affect your physical and mental well-being.

Everyone has a biological clock, but it’s set a little differently for each person. This is called chronotype, which is the difference between morning people and night people.

In particular, nocturnal people (around 25% of the population) suffer from shorter nights.

Vesper types find it hard to sacrifice part of the best part of the day to sleep, so they go to bed later and get up later too. This way, you’re not exposed to light early on. Your biological clock does not adapt to daylight saving time. It’s okay for the weekend, but you’re likely to arrive at work on Monday with very dark circles under your eyes. According to Swedish research, this is why summer time leads to even more heart attacks and road accidents at this time of year. Here are a few tips to help you get through the time change without pain.

Your chronotype is an estimate of the time at which your biological clock is set. This is estimated on the basis of your sleep on working days and days off. It’s partly innate, but your age, gender and lifestyle are also important.

If you’re a nocturnal person, here are some tips for the transition to daylight saving time:

Do Not Sleep In

It may seem difficult, but the extra hours you spend in bed on your days off can be detrimental. You don’t get tired until late in the evening. By avoiding sleeping in, you can fall asleep more easily in the evening and be better rested on Monday.

Exposure to Light

Expose yourself to plenty of daylight as soon as you wake up: this shifts your biological rhythm to an earlier hour. Make sure you have enough natural light: Take advantage of it by going out during the day. Take a walk and sit near a window if you have to work indoors. Daylight helps produce serotonin, which makes you less sleepy and helps you start your day in good spirits.

Enjoying the Dark

Make sure you have a good sleeping environment: Create a dark, quiet and cool sleeping space to help you sleep better.

An optimal sleep environment is crucial for a good night’s rest. Here are some tips to improve your sleeping environment:

• Darkness: Darkness signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep. Use blackout curtains or a sleep mask to block out outside light or light from electronic devices.
• Silence: Noise can disturb your sleep or prevent you from falling asleep. Earplugs, a white noise machine or an application of relaxing sounds can help mask disturbing noises.
• Cool: A cool room temperature, ideally between 16 and 18°C, is ideal for sleep. The drop in body temperature makes it easier to fall asleep and get a deep night’s sleep.
• Comfortable mattresses and pillows: Good support is essential to avoid pain and night-time awakenings. Make sure your mattress and pillows are adapted to your comfort preferences and sleeping position.
• Reduce electromagnetic interference: Keep electronic devices such as phones, tablets and laptops out of the bedroom or turn them off before sleeping to reduce your exposure to blue light and electromagnetic interference.
• Soothing atmosphere: Soft colors, comfortable bedding and a tidy space can make your bedroom more welcoming and conducive to sleep.

By creating a sleep environment that meets these criteria, you increase your chances of getting the restful, quality sleep that is essential to your overall well-being.

Be careful about coffee and alcohol consumption.

These substances can have a significant impact on the quality of your sleep and your circadian rhythm. Coffee, especially when consumed in the afternoon or evening, can delay sleep onset and reduce sleep quality due to its caffeine content, a powerful stimulant. Alcohol, while it may seem to help you fall asleep faster, actually disrupts sleep cycles later in the night, leading to less restful, more fragmented sleep.

To maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and promote quality sleep, we recommend limiting caffeine consumption to at least six hours before bedtime, and moderating alcohol consumption, especially just before sleep. Opting for caffeine-free alternatives in the evening, such as herbal teas or hot water, can help prepare your body for rest. Similarly, establishing a relaxing pre-bedtime routine, away from stimulants like caffeine and alcohol, can promote a smoother transition to sleep and improve the overall quality of your night’s rest.

Plan ahead:

If you know that daylight saving time is approaching, you can try gradually adjusting your sleep patterns to the new time. Start a few days before the transition by gradually shifting your bedtime and sleep duration.

1. Adjust your bedtime: Start by advancing your bedtime by 15 to 20 minutes every night. This helps your body gradually get used to the new program without causing too much disruption to your daily routine.
2. Also change your wake-up time: To maintain a balance, adjust your wake-up time by the same amount. This ensures that you maintain an adequate amount of sleep while gradually adjusting your internal clock.
3. Light exposure: Try to expose yourself to natural light first thing in the morning to help reset your internal clock. Light is a powerful signal to your brain that it’s the start of a new day.
4. Avoid blue light in the evening: Reduce exposure to blue light emitted by computer screens, tablets and cell phones in the evening to avoid disrupting the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
5. Stick to routines: Maintain regular bedtime and wake-up routines, even at weekends, to help your body adapt more easily to change.
6. Create a sleep-friendly environment: Make sure your bedroom is sleep-friendly, as mentioned above, to facilitate falling asleep and restful sleep.

By anticipating the switch to daylight saving time and adjusting your sleep routine accordingly, you can minimize sleep disruption and the negative effects on your general well-being.

Adapting to daylight saving time doesn’t happen overnight. Our bodies, governed by internal biological rhythms, need a certain amount of time to adjust to schedule changes, especially when we lose an hour’s sleep. This lost hour may seem small, but it can significantly disrupt our internal clock, influencing our sleep cycle, our mood, and even our physical health.

It’s important to remember that patience is essential during this transition period. Give yourself permission to feel a little more tired than usual, to have a fluctuating appetite or even to have difficulty concentrating. These symptoms are normal and temporary as your body works to realign its internal clock with the new light cycle.

To ease this transition, try adopting routines that can help your body adjust more easily. This includes exposing yourself to natural light as soon as you wake up to help wake your body up, setting regular times for meals and bedtime, and limiting exposure to blue light from screens in the evening to encourage better quality sleep.

Finally, it’s essential to practice self-compassion during this period. Recognizing that your body needs time to adapt allows you to manage any discomfort with a more forgiving outlook. By being patient and taking steps to support your body and mind, you’ll get through the transition to summer time with greater ease and well-being.