Sleep Hygiene
Hi everyone! It’s a new week, which means it’s time for a new post here at the Center Street Psychology Blog! If this is your first time here, click back to see some of our other posts on attachment styles, self-care, and goal setting. This week, we’re focusing on sleep hygiene, since we’ve all just experienced Daylight Savings Time (unless you’re reading from Saskatchewan).
So why does moving to Daylight Savings Time have such an impact on us? To begin with, it throws off your circadian rhythm, which is our body’s 24-hour clock that helps regulate our wake-sleep, appetite, and mood. You know when your stomach starts rumbling and you look up at the clock to see it’s dinner time, or when you wake up at the same time every day without an alarm? That’s your circadian rhythm doing its job. The thing with circadian rhythms though, is that they are based on light exposure. So when we suddenly create darker mornings and brighter evenings, it can lead to oversleeping in the morning and feeling more awake in the evening.
Usually, it takes about a week for our bodies to adjust to the time change. What can we do to help with the changes in wake-sleep cycles? There are a few things:
Avoid alcohol before bed: Alcohol already has a negative effect on sleep, so if you’re thinking a couple of drinks before bed might make you sleepier, that’s not so much the case.
Spend time outdoors: Since the circadian rhythm is affected by light and dark, spending time in natural light can help “reset” things.
Naps: Using a quick 20-minute nap to make up for any deficit could be helpful, for about three days after the time change.
Plan your bedroom: Having things like blackout curtains (to block out the sun later in the evening), having a cooler room temperature, and having a consistent bedtime also can help with Daylight Savings Time recovery.
Want to know more?
This YouTube video explains both the history of Daylight Savings Time, its effects, and some of the challenges:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84aWtseb2-4
This quick YouTube video explains circadian rhythms in a quick, easy way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCLipMnyCBM
Please reach out to us at Center Street Psychology, as we provide uniquely tailored therapeutic plans and interventions to support you and collaborate on your personal wellness goals. We are an inclusive clinic, located in Calgary, Alberta that provides in-person and virtual psychological services across Canada in the evenings and weekends. Please text or call 403-399-5120 to talk to our Director of Client Care, Amy, who will guide you through the intake process.
Written by: Lindsay Mcnena
