National Sleep Foundation Advice On Coping With The Time Change

With the time change this weekend, the National Sleep Foundation is offering advice on how to cope with the disruption to your sleep schedule.

The foundation notes statistics that show a lack of sleep resulting from the springtime change in particular leads to increases in heart attacks, strokes, emergency room visits, and mood disturbances.

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Many feel the idea of changing our clocks twice a year is outdated and serves no useful purpose. We'll discuss efforts to change the law below.

In the meantime, how do we cope with the annual sleep disruption?

Advice For Coping With the Change In Sleep Schedule

The organization offers the following tips:

-gradually adjusting your sleep schedule. Getting to bed 15-20 minutes earlier in the days leading up to the change can make it less of a shock.

-along the same lines, getting some extra sleep in the days leading up to the change can help. The foundation says ''studies have found that banking sleep before short periods of reduced sleep can decrease cognitive impairment.''

-relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises and meditation may help. They also can be useful if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep.

-set your clocks ahead before going to bed Saturday night. Even though the time change does not officially happen until 2 a.m. Sunday, it's better to hit the ground running.

-get some sunlight. Light helps reset our circadian rhythms. A long walk on the morning after the time change can be helpful. Even on a cloudy day, getting some natural light can help. If nothing else pulling back the curtains in your house and letting the sun shine in can give you a boost.

-if possible try not to overload your schedule the first couple of days after the time change. Easing into the new schedule can help.

-in general, practicing good sleep hygiene is always a good idea. Things like a restful bedroom environment and getting to bed at about the same time every night help.

Efforts To Kill The Annual Time Changes

Efforts continue in Congress to do away with the time change. Sen. Marco Rubio [R-Florida] has renewed the push to get his ''Sunshine Protection Act" passed. The bill was approved by the Senate in 2022 but got nowhere in the U.S. House of Representatives. He re-introduced it last year.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon in 2020 signed into law a bill to have the state stay on Daylight Saving Time all year if several conditions were met. Among the conditions was that Congress would have to give its permission.

As of yet, that has not happened.