I used to love gaining an extra hour of sleep when the clocks turned back in the fall. This year, I’ve decided to invest that extra hour we are gaining this Sunday, to revive my neglected workout routine after a summer back injury.
Our internal body clock doesn’t care about time zones. When I used to travel to BC, the following day, it was always as if my stubborn internal alarm clock would insist, that 3:00 AM was a good time to wake up.
We all remember the classic parental advice about getting more sleep. When I was young, I rolled our eyes (like our kids do now) but now as adults, we’re like, “Mom, you were right all along!”
Sleep quality matters more than quantity. External factors like cellphones and alarms mess with our internal “circadian rhythm.” A friend and I recently had a conversation about our lack of sleep. His wife overhearing our conversation suggested we turn off our phone at 9:30 PM, and it actually improved my sleep. Since then, whenever I slip up and stay on my phone too late, I try to remind myself how awesome a good night’s sleep feels.
Let’s face it, as we age, our sleep needs change too, influenced by lifestyle, our daily challenges, and our health. So how much sleep should you be getting? Check out what the National Sleep Foundation’s recommends. How Much Sleep Do You Need? | Sleep Foundation
When the clocks fall back this weekend, don’t just stay up an extra hour. Pretend they didn’t fall back and go to bed an hour earlier to catch up on much-needed sleep or use that extra hour to kickstart your workout routine again. So turn off your phones, savor a good night’s rest, and let your well-rested self thank you in the morning. If you’re still struggling with the time change, remember, your body’s like a grumpy old clock trying to reset itself. Give it time, and you’ll be back on track – until the next time change,
that is! 😉
