Next weekend, on the night between Saturday and Sunday, we will return towinter time, so before going to sleep we will have to remember to set the clock back one hour. The good news is that this will allow us to sleep an extra hour. The bad news is that we will lose an hour of light, that is, we will be reached first by the dark of the evening. Since it is just an hour, we certainly cannot speak of jet lag syndrome, but our body cannot adapt to this time change with the ease of computers and devices connected to the Internet, which change their internal clock independently and without repercussions.
Summer time, when does it change? It could be the last time we move the hands
THE REACTIONS
Summer time saves energy and is the reason why we will hardly be able to get rid of it. Despite the results of a European survey, conducted in 2018, which had seen most of the respondents in favor of the abolition of summer time. And therefore we just have to adapt to these timetable changes (the next will be on March 22), with the advice of the experts. Because if for most of us absorbing an hour or so during the day is a minor problem, for many people this can result in sleep disturbances, which in turn, due to the domino effect, can cause disturbances. moods such as depression, anxiety, irritability, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. And all this contributes to worsening the so-called autumn sadness, the fall back blues of English speakers.
IN SPRING
But there is more. Several researches have shown that in the days following the reset of solar time there is an increase in road accidents and suicides. On the contrary, in the spring, in the three days following the arrival of summer time, according to a Swedish research of a few years ago, there is an increase in cases of heart attack.
Our internal clock will take at least a week to adjust to the new time. Sleeping a little more in the days immediately preceding the return of solar time will help us to better absorb the change; experts suggest going to bed half an hour earlier than usual (even an hour earlier if you are in chronic sleep debt) and getting up in the morning at the usual time.
It is also very important this week to maintain an orderly routine, with respect to meal times and gym (or physical activity in general), trying to avoid demanding training sessions (cardio, spinning) for at least four hours before going. to bed. To awaken serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate circadian rhythms, nothing better than a session of physical activity in the morning, in bright light. Increasing exposure to natural light early in the morning helps the body consolidate the sleep cycle, among other things. And if the windows are not bright enough in the office or at home, the problem can be solved with a light therapy lamp, a 10,000 lux light source, which mimics natural daylight. It’s not sure how to get the sun into the house, but it is still good for the mood.
The routine, the force of habit is for young and old, a great ally of sleep because it helps to build the signal that indicates to the body that it is time to fall asleep. Although many fall asleep in front of the television on, the advice of the experts is to do a real wash out of screens of all sizes, from the mobile phone, to the computer, to the TV, before going to bed because the light emitted by these devices interfere with the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. On the contrary, light activates the brain and disturbs sleep, like when we try to rest in the afternoon with the blinds up. So another trick is to build an artificial sunset, starting to turn down all the lights in the house an hour before going to bed.
THE REST
Another thing to avoid, especially for those who are very sensitive, coffee and drinks rich in caffeine in general, starting from the second half of the afternoon. Same thing for nicotine, which should actually be avoided at any time of day. It is also good to remember that alcohol is also a great destroyer of sleep; it may perhaps facilitate it at the beginning, but then it triggers a series of awakenings that damage the architecture of sleep and therefore of rest. Abstaining from alcoholic beverages in the days preceding the return to solar time therefore makes it less problematic for the body to adapt to the new time.
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