🌙6 Tips To Optimize Your Sleep🌙
Science-backed tips to get better zzz's after time change.
If the recent time change has you feeling drowsy, you’re not alone.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), 55% of adults feel extremely tired or somewhat tired for up to a week after Daylight Savings Time.
Although we turned the clocks back and technically “gained” an hour of sleep over the weekend, research shows that even this small one-hour shift disrupts the sleep cycle and circadian rhythms.
Disruptions in sleep can impair our mood, alertness, decision-making skills, energy, and our overall health.
Insufficient sleep also impacts our weight and is a major risk factor for weight gain and obesity because of the role it plays on metabolism and appetite hormones.
For example, this study found that women sleeping 5 hours or less per night were 32% more likely to gain weight compared with those sleeping 7–8 hours per night.
So what can you do to regulate your circadian rhythms and ultimately improve your sleep?
Today I'm sharing science-backed tips to reset your internal clock and optimize your sleep during this transition.
☀️Get Natural Light In The Morning
Natural light plays a crucial role in regulating your circadian rhythm. After the time change, try to get outside in the morning for a few minutes of sunlight to help reset your body’s clock.
When UV light hits the retinas of the eyes, this “syncs” the body's internal clock so that sleep/wake hormones are released at proper times during the day, setting you up for better sleep at night.
Research shows that sun exposure in the first 30 to 60 minutes after waking increases alertness, boosts mood, reduces stress and cortisol levels, and improves sleep quality at night. This should be direct natural light from being outdoors without sunglasses, and as little as 5 minutes of exposure is considered to be effective.
📵Limit Artificial Light At Night
Reduce your exposure to artificial light in the evening, especially blue light from phones and screens, to help signal your body that it’s time for rest.
The blue light emitted from our phones, computers, tablets, and TVs confuses the brain making it think that it's still daytime, inhibiting the release of the sleep hormone melatonin.
To help you body prepare for sleep and ensure melatonin is being released, avoid screentime and turn off all “bright lights” at least 1 hour before bed. Instead, use dim lighting or candles, and opt for reading, journaling, taking a bath, or listening to relaxing music before bed.
⏰Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
While it might be tempting to sleep in or stay up later to adjust, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is key to helping your body adapt. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This will reinforce a healthy circadian rhythm and make the time change feel less taxing.
Research shows that having a regular bedtime schedule can strengthen the circadian rhythm and is a key element in high-quality sleep, where even a one-night alteration to a sleep schedule can have negative impacts on sleep quality.
For example, one study found that shifting waking time by 2 hours without any changes to the duration of sleep resulted in reduced cognitive performance and increased sleepiness due to the alterations in usual sleep patterns.
❄️Keep Your Room Dark & Cool
Creating a calm, comfortable sleep environment will help you fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer.
Your body temperature drops naturally at night, and sleeping in a cooler environment (between 60-67F) allows your body to sleep more deeply and cycle through its sleep stages. Use a noise machine or fan to block out sounds, and make sure your room is pitch-black (or wear a sleep-mask) to optimize melatonin production. Research shows that even a little bit of light in your room at night reduces melatonin production and disrupts sleep.
This means keeping your room cool (around 60-67°F is ideal), minimizing noise and light, and using blackout curtains if needed to optimize sleep.
☕Limit caffeine 8 hours before bed
Caffeine has a half-life of around 5 hours, which means half of it is still in your body 5 hours after consuming it. Sleep experts recommend avoiding caffeine 8 hours before your usual sleep time, so if you go to bed around 10pm, avoid having caffeine from coffee, tea, chocolate, and other caffeinated foods/beverages after 2pm.
🍕Avoid Eating Before Bed
Eating at night causes a surge in cortisol levels which makes us feel alert while at the same time reducing levels of our sleep hormone melatonin, ultimately impairing sleep quality.
Research shows that eating close to bedtime increases cortisol levels by up to 50% and triggers insomnia.
To regulate your circadian rhythms, aim for no food 3-4 hours before bed. This will allow for food to digest, cortisol levels to drop, and melatonin levels to rise for a better night's sleep.
If you do need to eat within this 3-hour window before bed, choose foods that are quickly digested and have a low glycemic index that won't spike cortisol levels, like a banana, applesauce, or yogurt.
Diet also plays a major role on sleep. Next week I'll be sharing more info on foods to eat for better sleep!
Adapting to a time change takes time. You may feel out of sync for a few days, but be patient and consistent with these tips. Your body will adjust more easily if you’re giving it the right cues.
I hope these tips help you get the quality sleep you deserve so you feel well-rested and energized during the start of the upcoming holiday season!
-xo Kate
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