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AmitaGoyalMD t1_jbmcja8 wrote

Reply to comment by BrilliantPace7459 in We are sleep experts from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine – here to answer all of your questions about the health and safety risks associated with daylight saving time and healthy sleep tips to combat the transition. Ask us anything! by AbbyStrangMD

Hi BrilliantPace7459! Yes, it can certainly feel like a drag on the day of the time change. Some ways you can decrease the effects of “ springing forward”:

  • Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep the night before and the night after the time change.
  • Make the change a bit more gradual by adjusting your bedtime 15-20 minutes earlier each night starting a few nights before the transition.
  • Set your clock ahead one hour on the evening of March 11 so you go to bed at your normal bedtime that evening.
  • Get early morning sunlight in the week after the time change which can help reset your internal clock to the new time.
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SomnumBene t1_jbmdbq8 wrote

BrilliantPace7459 - thank you for this observation. Many people report that they are not as refreshed after the switch to DST. This can have a safety impact: “spring forward” is associated with an increase in auto accidents for the week following the switch to DST, including a 6% increase in fatal crashes. Crashes are increased even more on the westward side of each time zone. Stay safe out there!

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