Coping With Lost Sleep From Daylight Savings

If you’re anything like me “Spring Forward” comes with a sense of dread. When my kids were little it was a tough adjustment to get them onto a new sleeping schedule. Now, with school starting so early, that 6am wake-up turns into an uber early 5am. Though I appreciate the longer days, the early wake-up is a struggle. Like the Howard Jones song, it’s like having jet-lag from a vacation you don’t get to go on. Below are a few tips on how to manage this time change and help you have a happier and healthier spring.

Eat whole foods

With what feels like one less hour in the day it can be tempting to grab packaged or fast food. However, these types of meals are energy zappers and will leave you feeling worse after. Instead opt for fresh nutrient dense foods. My tip – hit the salad bar for a quick meal that will leave you feeling energized. My go to salad bar combination – mixed greens, roasted beets, chickpeas, blueberries, sliced almonds, drizzle of olive oil.

Drink lots of water

When we are rushed it is very easy to forget about our most vital resource, water. Dehydration can lead to many things including, fatigue, headaches, dry skin, feeling dizzy, and rapid heartbeat. Keep a water bottle in your bag at all times and make sure to drink it! If you have trouble remembering, set alarms on your phone as a reminder. Lastly, you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces. Ex. 145 lbs/2 = 72.5 oz per day

Slow down

Take time to practice deep breathing and meditation to ground yourself. Any changes to routine naturally leave us feeling untethered and disoriented. By taking a few minutes or even seconds, each day to close our eyes and focus on our breath we can calm our nervous systems and become more grounded.

Exercise 

Sweating is an amazing way to lower our stress hormone, cortisol and increase the production of endorphins, our feel-good neurotransmitters. Going for a brisk walk or an exercise class with a friend are all great ways to accomplish this. Additionally, exercise increases circulation, improves brain function, and may even help you sleep better at night!