With Daylight Savings approaching, some are excited for the start of longer and warmer days, while others are only thinking of the fact that this Sunday, Daylight Savings, they will lose an hour of sleep.

On Sunday, March 11th, the clocks will be pushed forward one hour, which means everyone will lose an hour of sleep. According to experts, adjusting to the lost hour of sleep in the spring is harder than adjusting to the gained hour of sleep in the fall.

Aside from losing a precious hour of sleep, there are other health problems that seem to come after Daylight Savings Time. A study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, determined that after the Daylight Savings time change, risks of heart attacks actually rise.

Edith F. Honeycutt, Chair in Nursing at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, says:

“If you regularly are getting seven to eight hours of sleep, you’re likely to have fewer problems adjusting to the time change. However, if you are sleep-deprived already, getting by on just six or seven hours of sleep a night, you’ll probably feel more fatigued than usual on Sunday morning.”

Experts offer a few suggestions to help deal with the loss of an hour of sleep:

  • Stick to your normal routine. Go to bed at the same time you normally would, and wake up at the same time.
  • Children should go about their routines normally as well, including eating and nap times.
  • Drive carefully to work Monday morning because your internal clock may be off, even if you feel fine.
  • Expose yourself and your family to sunlight – it encourages energy and makes you feel awake.
  • All year long, make sure you are getting the adequate amount of sleep, not just during Daylight Savings Time.

Written By Christine Kearney