Daylight saving time is this week 3 tips to ease into it so you dont ruin your sleep

Don’t wait until the eleventh hour!Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m.on Sunday, March 9, for most of the US, meaning that we spring forward and lose an hour to make better use of daylight and save energy.DST — which lasts until Sunday, Nov.

2 — is controversial in part because research indicates it can significantly upend our sleep-wake cycle, potentially increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke.The good news is that we can take time this week to minimize the impact on our schedule and body.Here are three simple tips for easing into DST.Though we’re only losing one hour of sleep, the health effects will be noticeable for the first week.The time change can alter when we feel hungry, how tired we feel and how much we can concentrate due to disruptions to our body’s natural circadian rhythm.Circadian rhythm, which is essentially our body’s 24-internal clock, is more than just sleep-wake cycles.It also influences our mealtimes, body temperature and hormonal fluctuations throughout the day.Because clocks move forward an hour, sunrise seems to happen later in the day, which means less opportunity for morning light.Natural sunlight is essential for circadian rhythm.

Exposure to bright morning light boosts cortisol production, signaling that it’s time to get up, increasing alertness and setting the stage for better sleep at night.We should be going to bed 16 or 18 hours after first experiencing morning light.Try to embrace morning light in the days leading up to DST to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.There is some evidence that DST is worse than standard time for our health because there’s an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and motor vehicle crashes along with sleep disturbances.We can attempt to combat these disruptions by hitting the hay 15 to 20 minutes earlier and waking up 15 to 20 minutes earlier every day this week until Sunday.But don’t change too many things at once — try to stick to your typical work schedule, exercise ...