It’s that time of year again where we switch the clocks. We are springing forward into longer days and shorter nights. For better or for worse, it is time to shift our clocks forward one hour overnight March 7/8. While there are many benefits to this time change, including the later sunset time, it can be quite a jarring adjustment. This is why we are sharing some tips for you to prepare ahead of time. Most places in North America make the change twice a year, and while it always is the same time of year, it definitely creeps up on you.
Start waking your body up earlier
By waking yourself up earlier ahead of time, you are training your body for this shift. While you may not feel it on Sunday morning, chances are you will feel it on Monday. What I like to do whenever there is a change of sleep routine is slowly adjust my alarm by 15 minutes, waking up 15 minutes earlier adding on another 15 for a few days beforehand.
Give yourself a “day”
By giving yourself a day of taking it easy and slowing down, you are allowing yourself to lean-in to rest. While I am not a scientist, nor researcher, giving myself a day on the day of the time-change, allows my body and mind to take a break.
Stay awake
You may feel tired the day of the time-change and the day after, and I find that it is so important to stay awake and not lean-into the nap that you are craving. Napping, while it is my favourite sport, can also impact your sleep at night time.
Enjoy
This time-change unofficially marks the beginnings of spring, which means blooming flowers and plants, more greens, more sun and outdoor fun! Enjoy that first evening with the later sunset time and soak it in!
Do you have any other tips? Let us know by commenting below.
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Written by Alana Kaplan, Project Manager for the I Am Resilient Project.
