Feb 13, 2008

Prepare for daylight savings time

Sleep. Most people need every minute they can get. So, every year articles remind us that daylight savings time is coming and provide tips to minimize the disruption. This year with the extended daylight savings time schedule, we'll need those reminders earlier.

Many may think, "what's the big deal, it's only an hour?" but research has shown accident rates go up in the week following the start of daylight savings. It appears losing an hour of sleep does really matter and resetting your circadian clock by even just an hour is worth your attention. Of course, as we always say, if it has to do with sleep and is important to the general public, it's even more important for shiftworkers.

The main points is to prepare early over a few days to try to shift your bedtime earlier by an hour or at least part of it. To accomplish that, use all of the Tips for getting better sleep we've posted previously. These include making the sleeping room dark, quiet, comfortable temperature, etc.

Here's another brief article that provides some additional tips from a hospital press release -- Don't Lose Sleep Over Daylight Saving Time.

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