Daylight Saving Time Ends Interferes with Sleep Cycle

Rose knows each fall, Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends and we get an extra hour of sleep. For the most part, the beginning of DST is little more of an inconvenience when we are more affected by losing an hour in the spring.

Either way, a change in our daylight hours disrupts the release of melatonin.  Melatonin is a hormone that is produced in our pineal gland and regulates our sleep cycle or our Circadian Rhythm. When this interference occurs we can experience impair memory, concentration and performance, restlessness and symptoms often compared to 'jet lag'. If you already have a sleep disorders, the changes in time can become a health issue.

With just a few simple lifestyle changes, you can help make the adjustment:

• Get your exercise or workout done early in the day.  Exercising at night only increases your heart rate.
  
• Avoid coffee in the afternoon; try a cup of green tea instead or Sleepytime decaf tea before retiring.
  
• For the first few days after DST begins, resist the urge to spend that last hour of daylight outdoors; get inside instead. Stick to your nightly routine.
• Turn off the TV and computer an hour before bedtime (the light from the computer screen or any light can disrupt the body's ability to relax and decrease melatonin output)
• Make your bed as comfortable and cozy as can be, try a memory foam mattress topper. Your room temperature is recommended at 65 degrees or less. 
  
• Practice deep breathing exercises, sleep music, white noise or self hypnosis tapes, which help aid in relaxation and will keep your mind off of your daily stress.
  
• Once you do wake up, make it a point to experience the bright early morning sunlight and get your daily dose of Vitamin D.  Sunlight also helps with your body's sleep/wake cycle.
• If you are having trouble falling asleep, consider eating tart cherries (see below) or eating foods rich in tryptophan such as; nuts, cereal, eggs, turkey and any food full of carbohydrates. Tryptophan is known to make people drowsy.  

The good news is that gaining that hour in the fall is more in tune with the body's natural rhythm, meaning  our bodies adjust much more easily than in the spring.

Tart Cherries:

A growing body of science reveals tart cherries, enjoyed as either dried, frozen cherries or cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, when compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times more than blueberries or strawberries) vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.
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Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also contain melatonin, which has been found to help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process. 
Good Evening,
Rose Sheepskill