The time change is coming. On Sunday at 2 a.m., you’ll set your clock ahead one hour (we know you’ll stay up all night just to do this).
Benjamin Villalpando needs his extra hour of sleep. Nicole Villalpando/American Statesman 2014
This one always feels harder than the one in the fall because we lose an hour, but unlike in the fall, we get to do it over spring break (or South by Southwest — the adult version of spring break).
What do we love most about this time change?
The sun doesn’t set until well after 7 p.m. That makes for some really nice nighttime walks or trips to the neighborhood park.
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What do we like least?
Losing that hour (we have stuff to do!)
Trying to get a sleepy kid up when it’s dark and everything in their body tells them it’s an hour earlier.
For kids who are home all next week, they can gradually adjust their body clocks without having to wake up at what feels like an hour early on a Monday morning. For the rest of us, it’s going to be brutal.
Dr. Nina Desai, a family doctor at Baylor Scott & White Clinic Austin-North Burnet, said in a press release last fall, 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.
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