Updated Nov 5, 2021
When I got up around 7 a.m. this morning it was pitch black and only 1 degree Celcius. Brrrr… (That’s about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m in Toronto as I write this.) The clocks are due to fall back this weekend, and I, for one, am looking forward to it. We’ll get an extra hour to cuddle together and watch Thanksgiving movies Saturday night, and what will seem like an extra-long day on Sunday to recover.
And then, the adjustment period will begin. And I, along with millions of other North Americans, will struggle to adapt to the time change all the while feeling as though we’re getting tired earlier than usual only to realize that it’s because it’s “really” an hour later. And with the earlier bedtime, some will temporarily enjoy the “extra time” the earlier wake-up gives them while others will get less sleep. I for one, will be back on the west coast, and fully expect the jet lag, time change and Daylight Savings Time to completely mess up my circadian rhythm.
In a couple of weeks, most of us will have adjusted to the change. My family will go back to trying to fall asleep at a decent hour, sleeping in and rolling out of bed at the very last minute in an effort to eek out a few more minutes of sleep. And, sadly, for the 10 to 15 percent of chronic insomniacs worldwide, the time change will just be one more contributing factor in the litany of things that cause sleeplessness.
Why Roll Back Time?
Although we’ve been turning the clocks forward or back twice a year an hour for as long as I can remember, it’s an oft debated practice that is not the norm everywhere. Most areas in North America and Europe observe daylight saving time (DST), whereas most areas of Africa and Asia do not. In South America, most countries in the north of the continent near the Equator do not observe DST, whereas those in Paraguay and most of Chile do. In Oceania, New Zealand and southern Australia practice DST where most other areas do not.
The idea of rolling back time was first brought up by Benjamin Franklin back in 1784, as a way to take advantage of sunlight and burn fewer candles during winter mornings and nights, but the practice didn’t become official in the United States until almost 200 years later, when Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, also with the intention of saving energy.
Whether or not rolling time forward or back actually does save energy, and therefore saves Americans money is debatable, but the practice lets us enjoy more daytime hours during the winter months. It also takes a toll on our bodies. According to webmd.com “losing” an hour in the spring is more difficult to adjust to than “gaining” an hour in the fall”.
Spring Forward and Falling Back
The hour we “lose” during daylight savings time in the spring has been linked to an increased number of car accidents and heart attacks. In fact, a study of 732,000 accidents over two decades published in the journal Current Biology by the University of Colorado Boulder in January 2020, foundthat fatal car crashes increase by 6 % the week following daylight saving time. That works out to about 28 additional deaths each year. The time shift can also increase people’s risk of heart attack or stroke.
But, since we all “gained” an hour last weekend, we should be fine, right? Well, not exactly.
Our Biological Clocks Are Out of Sync
“People think the one-hour transition is no big deal, that they can get over this in a day, but what they don’t realize is their biological clock is out of sync,” said Beth Ann Malow, MD, Burry Chair in Cognitive Childhood Development, and professor of Neurology and Pediatrics in the Sleep Disorders Division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“It’s not one hour twice a year. It’s a misalignment of our biologic clocks for eight months of the year. When we talk about DST and the relationship to light, we are talking about profound impacts on the biological clock, which is a structure rooted in the brain. It impacts brain functions such as energy levels and alertness.” Malow’s observations were part of a JAMA Neurology commentary in November 2019 recapping large studies that advocate for ending the practice of setting clocks forward or back.
Coping with Daylight Savings Time
If you fall into the category of people who feel they are out of sync for a few days to, god forbid, eight months of the year, here are some of the best products to help your body and circadian rhythm adjust to the time change.
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Wake Up Light Sunrise Alarm Clock
Sunrise Alarm Clocks are great for insomniacs, heavy sleepers and kids. The clock includes a sunrise simulation light with 7 natural sounds that come on gradually from 10% brightness to 100% by 30 minutes before the actual time you want to get up. If you think 30 minutes is too long, you can set the process to 20 minutes or 10 minutes. I first tried the 30-minute setting and it was definitely too long for me. My sleep is so easily disturbed, I woke up as soon as the light started changing and rather than easing into the day, I ended up getting a half hour less sleep. So, I’m definitely a 10-minuter. The wake-up light is especially helpful for winter mornings when it’s really dark out and all you want to do is stay in bed.
The Wake Up Light Sunrise clock also includes dual alarms in case you need to set an alarm for another family member, FM radio, a snooze button – gotta get those extra 9 minutes! – nightlight and daylight in 7 Colors (blue, indigo, purple, red, orange, yellow, green) with adjustable brightness and 7 Natural Sounds (birdsong, ocean wave, streams, beep, wind bells, soft music, piano music).
And finally, with its adjustable light colors and intensity, this sunrise clock can also double as your bedside lamp, night light and eading lamp. Its soft and warm lighting gives you just the right amount of light to read a book at night.
Sleep sprays are great for those days when you just can’t seem to quiet your mind and stop the wheels from spinning. The Deep Sleep Superblend is an award-winning, 100% natural blend made up of lavender, chamomile and vetivert essential oils.
There’s a great holiday deal on Amazon right now on ThisWorks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray . With the Great In Bed 2020 Holiday Set you get 3 full sized products – the Deep Sleep Spray, Deep Sleep Body Cocoon and Deep Sleep Shower Gel – all for $35. This is a real bargain for anyone interested in trying the Deep Sleep line as it costs less than the regular price of the Deep Sleep Body Cocoon alone.
With Deep Sleep, just start your sleep routine an hour before bed with Deep Sleep Shower Gel in the bath or shower, then massage Deep Sleep Body Cocoon into your skin to diffuse some calm herbal essences overnight all the while soothing your skin with shea butter, crambe, camelia and sativa oils. Once you’re ready to hit the sack, spray Deep Sleep Pillow Spray across your bedding for sound, restful sleep. The fragrance is a beautiful, earthy scent with a predominant lavender note, that isn’t too overwhelming.
Whether you live in an area where fires are filling the air with carbon and dust particles or where the constant construction that surrounds you has grime getting in through every window, nook and cranny, an air purifier is worth the investment. If you ask me, Dyson’s Pure Cool Link TP02 Wi-Fi Enabled Air Purifier is the Cadillac of all air purifiers.
The Dyson Air Purifier helps create a cleaner, healthier home capturing particles as small as allergens and bacteria. Its HEPA filter automatically removes 99.97 percent of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.3 microns including pollen, dust, mold spores, bacteria and pet dander from the air in your home. It also works with Amazon Alexa and comes with Dyson Link app that provides real time air quality reports and allows you to remotely control your machine from your smartphone, if you’re into that sort of thing.
The Dyson Purifier’s technology has a second filtration layer that contains activated carbon to capture household odors and volatile organic compounds like paint fumes. It’s certified asthma and allergy friendly and was awarded the quiet mark accreditation.
This air purifier also cools and can be used as a fan in summer. And, finally, its other features include oscillation, 10 airspeed settings, an automatic shut off if the machine is tipped over, and, most importantly, it has no fast spinning blades so it’s safe for little fingers or paws.
Seasonal Disorder Syndrome or Winter Blues
And finally, if in addition to feeling out of sync, the shorter days and lack of sunshine really bring you down, you could be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons. It begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months.
Symptoms of winter SAD include feeling depressed most of the time, losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, having low energy, having problems with sleeping, sapping your energy and irritability.
The Cleveland Clinic reports, “approximately half a million people in the United States suffer from winter SAD… Three-quarters of the sufferers are women, and the depression usually starts in early adulthood.” If you experience a milder form of seasonal depression, it’s informally known as the “winter blues.” The symptoms are similar to SAD but not as intense. Up to 25% of people in northern latitudes suffer from some type of winter blues. That’s no big surprise, given winter’s shorter days, greyer skies, decreased sunlight, lower Vitamin D production, and bitter cold in many parts of the country.
Light therapy lamps affect the chemicals in your brain that are linked to mood and sleep and can reduce symptoms of seasonal depression. According to Clinical Social Worker specialist Bernadette McSweeney’s EAP (Employee Assistance Program)paper on Light Therapy, the light from the lamp hits your retina, and nerve impulses are transmitted to the pineal gland to enhance the effectiveness of serotonin and other neurotransmitters, which can help boost your mood.
Light therapy lamps range in price from $40 to $200. If you’re looking for a great option that’s small, discreet and effective, the Circadian Optics Light Therapy Lamp.
Circadian Optics Lumos 2.0 Light Therapy Lamp
Showcased on the Today Show with Dr Oz and on Shark Tank, the Lumos is Circadian Optics’ original, top-selling lamp. It’s adjustable and easy to use and It’s rotating light panel gives it excellent flexibility, allowing you to place, position and direct the lamp in a way that maximizes your light therapy session.
The lamp’s quick one-touch operation makes it simple to use. There are no complicated settings to mess around with and its 3 intensity levels allow you to customize the brightness that works best for you. It provides the recommended 10,000 LUX brightness for effective light therapy to help beat the winter blues, regulate sleep, fight fatigue, boost mood, and improve focus. It’s light with the right qualities – pure-white color of the midday sun (5500K), full-spectrum, and free of unwanted UV rays.
If, despite all your best efforts, your sleep problems persist and significantly interfere with your day to day life, consult your healthcare provider or a mental health professional.
What’s your plan for coping with Daylight Savings Time?
Thanks for another great article, Meline. I’m going to look into the Sunrise Alarm. I have a Happy Light and feel it is very effective.
Thank you, Angela! Can’t wait to hear what you think of it! And I will check out Happy Lights.