It’s that time again Bruins to spring forward and roll the clocks ahead into daylight saving time, the bittersweet deed that simultaneously signals spring and inflicts havoc on our oh so precious sleep.
For the majority of people, the missing hour Sunday means a sluggish Monday. The light-dark cycle is perversely working against the body clock as we’re getting less of our California sunlight in the morning and more in the evening.
But when the sleep-wake and light-dark cycles don’t line up, people can feel out-of-sync, drowsy and grouchy. According to a report from ABC News, for some – “particularly those who aren’t big on mornings to begin with — it takes a heavy toll on mood and productivity.”
Not to worry, with time, the body clock will adjust on its own. Having finals right around the corner, here are a few ways to help it along the way:
Absorb the Morning Light
Getting some early morning sun, perhaps a run around Drake Stadium, Saturday and Sunday can help the brain’s sleep-wake cycle line up with the new light-dark cycle. But it means getting up at dawn. “Sleeping by your [dorm or apartment] window won’t cut it,” Dr. Alfred Lewy, director of Oregon Health and Science University’s Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory in Portland said. Let the Cali sunlight be direct.
Try a Small Dose of Melatonin
As Lewy has mentioned, taking a low-dose (less than 0.3 mg) of melatonin late in the afternoon Saturday through Monday can help sync the sleep-wake and light-dark cycles.
Let the day begin, Bruins!