Although we will soon be losing an hour of sleep, the reward of an extra hour of daylight is well worth it!
The time change can be more difficult for some people, and the transition can sometimes have negative effects. There are a few things we can do in anticipation of the time change, and if you are one of those who suffer, I hope it provides a little help.
Some tips to get ready to Spring Forward
-
Go to bed a little earlier.
A few days before, try to get to bed a little earlier. You can start with just 20 minutes, and set your alarm to 20 minutes earlier to even it out. By breaking up the transition into thirds, you provide your system with a more gradual adjustment.
-
Up your exercise
Getting in a good workout can have a big impact on the quality of your sleep. Since our Spring Forward occurs during winter, make it an activity outside. The combination of getting that heartrate up in the cold will act as its own natural sedative as the night closes in.
*Try not to schedule it too close to bedtime as the adrenaline from the exertion may have the opposite effect. -
Watch your Caffeine intake
Many of us have our routines and enjoy a few cups of coffee everyday. One, of course, when we first wake up, one mid-morning and maybe an extra one during a client meeting?
Coffee has a number of health benefits, including improving microbiome diversity, helping to heal damaged cells due to the excellent source of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that plays a part in repairing damaged cells.
Limiting your caffeine intake during this time is a great idea. If you absolutely need that fix, try a cup of decaf.. if it's the right brew, I promise you won't know the difference. -
A More Restful Sleep with a good diet
Food can play a role in the quality of your sleep. I think everyone knows about tryptophan. Most of us have benefited from a post dinner nap from a full belly of turkey. But there are a few others that contain this sleepy amino acid you might want to try.
- Pumpkin seeds – Did you know that pumpkin seeds are also a great source of tryptophan? Add these to your salad, your granola, cereal or trail mix to up your intake.
- Peanut butter: A good source of healthy fats and protein, both of which can help you stay full throughout the night. Add to crackers, sliced apples, celery.
- Salmon: This fish high in omega-3 fatty acids and, you got it, tryptophan is knows to help induce sleep. There are many way to prepare it including baked, poached, grilled, or roasted.
- Chamomile Tea. A great pre-bed ritual to help unwind from a long day. Helps to get you to a more relaxed state and can help with sleep. The activity of making the tea and sitting down to actually slowly enjoy it is a great precursor to a calmer mind ready to drift off.