Fall Back to end Daylight Saving Time happens on Sunday at 2 a.m. We hope you’re well asleep at that point.
What does that mean to you and me? That means that we’re setting our clocks back an hour. That also means that it’s going to be lighter when we wake up but darker earlier.
Benjamin Villalpando just wants to sleep and on Sunday, he’ll get an extra hour to do so.
Photo by Nicole Villalpando
Instead of taking walks at 7 p.m. in the glow of sunset, it’s going to be walks in the dark. Get ready.
The good thing for any parent trying to get kids up in the morning is the sun is more likely to be up with your kids. Hooray! (and not still asleep when they need to wake up).
The good thing for any parent trying to get kids to bed at night, hooray the sun will be going to sleep way before your kids, making it easier for them to fall asleep.
We, creatures of habits, might still struggle with the change.
Dr. Nina Desai, a family doctor at Baylor Scott & White Clinic Austin-North Burnet, says in a press release, that often babies, young children and seniors feel the effects of time changes the most.
She offers these tips to make the transition:
- About three days before the time change, try moving your bedtime 15-20 minutes later. This gradual change, along with delaying your wake time 15-20 minutes, can help decrease the symptoms of fatigue and irritability.
- Try dimming the lights for about an hour after you wake up in the morning.
- Avoid electronics and screen time on computers, tablets and phones. This can keep your body’s clock in check so you feel ready to wake up in the morning and ready for bed at night.
- Get plenty of sleep leading up to the time change to avoid health and safety risks.
While it’s normal to feel tired for as much as a week after the time change hits, if you continue to feel tired or you already feel tired all the time, Desai wants you to go see your doctor to rule out a sleep disorder, metabolic disorder, depression or anxiety.
What are you going to do with that extra hour?
We can think of a few things:
- Sleep
- Read a good book
- Get farther along in this season of “Stranger Things”
- Christmas/Hanukkah shopping
- Clean out the refrigerator
- Make soup in the hopes that the weather will get cool again
- Tackle that extra load of laundry
- Get better caught up in work
- Did we mention sleep?
