Sleeping through the end of daylight saving time

Falling back into good sleep with the end of daylight saving time is easier than the time change in the Spring.

Transcript

00:00It's the time of the year where we watch as the leaves change color and fall back to the ground.

00:04For most of us, that also signals the time of year when we fall back an hour as it marks the end of

00:09daylight saving time. And although some might struggle with the change because it gets darker

00:13earlier, most sleep experts welcome it. This change from daylight savings time back to standard time

00:21is the better change for our sleep. And it's not because we we gain an hour,

00:26um, it's because we're going back to standard time, which scientists and researchers and

00:34clinicians in the sleep world all agree is the better time for our bodies. Standard time is

00:40better aligned with our natural sleep-wake cycle. That's because more light in the morning signals

00:44that it's time to wake up, while the darkness earlier in the evenings helps our bodies produce

00:48melatonin to fall asleep. But if you're struggling with it getting darker earlier, you can try

00:53adjusting your sleep schedule to get the most out of the daylight hours. We've already made it past

00:58the harder time change in the spring, and it shouldn't be difficult for our bodies to adapt

01:02back to standard time. However, Dr. Roth has a go-to tip when it comes to sleep in general.

01:08The golden rule for sleep is never get into bed until you're very sleepy. So don't get into bed

01:16to try to get sleepy. Don't get into bed hoping you'll get sleepy. Only go to bed once you are

01:21already feeling sleepy. It's always important to remember to talk to your doctor or sleep specialist

01:27if you're continually having issues with your sleep. For AccuWeather, I'm meteorologist Tony Laubach.