Why you think ONE hour clock change won't affect you.

Most people don't even get the essential 7-9 hours a night. So why will one hour affect you? 

Most people think it won’t affect them. And if you don't have to get up at 7 on Monday for school or work then you're probably right. But if you have to get up it probably will affect you - especially if you are a night owl.

And if you live in the west of a time zone - like we do in Ireland - we feel the effect more. The jump from standard to daylight savings is harder on the body. 

Why? 

Because we have to drag ourselves up an hour earlier, it is extra hard for night owls and then we get more sunlight in the evening, so melatonin, that hormone we all naturally release that makes us feel drowsy is delayed, so we want to stay up later. You basically don't feel as tired in the evenings, but you have to get up earlier. 

Your clock time is moved an hour later; in other words, it feels like 7 a.m. even though our clocks say it is 8 a.m. 

This is called circadian misalignment and causes social jet lag. Jet lag is when you move time zones and can't sleep at the time you want. Social jetlag is when the time our body wants to do things is different to when society says we should. Shift workers and parents of young children can suffer.

Here are some things to watch out for on Monday especially and next week.

1. MOODIER - less sleep affects mood straight away but people with anxiety and depression are even more sensitive to clock changes. 
2. Having SLOWER reaction times, less sleep always affects reactions - this is why it is so essential for sport. Also be careful when driving, accident rates increase can be linked directly to clock change
3. You'll feel HUNGRIER - Sleep deficiency increases the release of the hormone ghrelin, which makes us hungry, and decreases the release of the hormone leptin, which makes us feel satisfied when we eat. So you'll feel hungrier and most likely reach for high carb and high sugar foods
4. There are also BIG health impacts at this time of year, increasing risk of stroke and heart attacks - mind each other and especially women should learn to know the signs. Her heart matters is a great resource for heart health. 
5. Night owls & adolescents will be more affected as their desired circadian rhythms are later anyway. So this extra push earlier takes them further away to when they want to be awake and asleep

What 5 things can you do? 

1. Take it easy Saturday night - Hydrate with water and  use your weighted sleeper
2. Luxdrate with sunshine - Like hydrate but with sunshine. If you get sunshine in the morning helps your body retain - this is how your body trains itself to know when to do certain things. 
3. Get up at the same time Sunday - even if you don't want to. If you sleep in you'll be less tired Sunday night and then Monday morning when you have to get up will be extra hard. 
4. Nap it out - Have a nap on Sunday and next week instead of avoiding the clock change. At Siest we love naps. Nano naps, mini 10 - 20 mon naps to recharge and refresh. 
5. Push out your Sunday sleep time - Don’t try to force yourself to go to bed early Sunday - you will probably toss and turn for longer. Watch a movie or read a good book instead, and when you feel sleepy go to bed with your SIEST sleeper of course

Always talk to your GP if you are having trouble sleeping for 3 nights a week for more than 3 months and you feel sleepy in the day. 

I’m Síne Dunne and your sleep matters to me