Well, it’s that time of year again. Time has changed on us once again. For some, the one-hour spring forward is a blessing. The day goes by a little faster, it gets dark later, yet no one likes feeling as though you’ve lost an hour out of your day. It can sometimes be a little hard for our bodies to adjust to the change, so here are a few things to help you cope with daylight saving time.
1. Go to bed earlier rather than later
We’re in college, so going to bed early may sound super elementary. But think about it—we’re losing an hour. That means losing an hour of sleep and losing an hour of your day. By going to bed earlier, your body will be more rested when you technically have to wake up an hour earlier. It may look like it’s 7 a.m., but to your body, it’s still 6 a.m. A little confusing, but very true.
2. Lighten the mood
Going to sleep a little earlier may be a little difficult when it looks like it’s not even nighttime outside. You have the power of light in your hands when it comes to adjusting to daylight saving time. In the morning time, open up your curtains or blinds to let more light in. This helps to wake you up a little more when your body is feeling like it’s up an hour earlier than usual. Even try spending a little more time out in the sun during the day. The longer you’re in or around sunlight, the longer your day will feel. At night, try to decrease the amount of light you are exposed to. So by the end of the day, you’re going to feel pretty exhausted, or at least tired enough to be able to go to sleep.
3. Refrain from taking naps
Although it may seem like naps are your best friend, especially on those long days when you’re in classes back to back with a small break in between, do your best to avoid taking a late nap. Taking naps does nothing but give you more energy, which could be either a really good or a really bad thing. The later you take a nap, the less tired you’re going to be. This will probably keep you up all night and make waking up in the morning even more difficult.
4. Gym time
I know you probably get tired of hearing that working out is the answer to everything, but nine out of ten times it really is. Oddly enough, working out releases a chemical in the brain that helps our body adjust to changes, such as time for instance. If your schedule allows it, try working out in the morning. It gets you pumped up for your day and will also make you tired enough by the time you actually need to go to bed. Do your best to keep your work out early, though. Sometimes working out late can give you a boost of energy that can prevent you from sleeping at night.
HCXO!