Spring Forward Feeling Rested: How to avoid loss of sleep from daylight savings time

Exposure to light activates cells in the hypothalamus that respond to signals in the brain. These signals communicate with parts of the body that regulate hormones and body temperature, which play a role in whether we feel alert or tired. Some helpful tips to beat feeling tired during the daylight savings time switch include:

1. Wake up fifteen to thirty minutes earlier leading up to the daylight savings switch.
2. Get regular exercise during the day.
3. Reset your clock the day before so you go to sleep earlier and have more time to rest.
4. Take a midafternoon nap the day of to stay rested.
5. Stay inside during the last hour of light the day before to start helping reset the circadian biological clock.

“A good rule of thumb is to follow the sun. Limit your exposure to light the night before, and expose yourself to light first thing in the morning of daylight savings time,” says Imtiaz Ahmad, M.D., Board Certified Sleep Physician and founder of Allergy, Sleep &  Lung Care. “That combined with a healthy lifestyle of regular exercise, healthy diet and avoidance of stimulants at night will help you get to sleep faster and better.” For more information about Allergy, Sleep & Lung Care, please visit www.LungCare.net, or call (239) 437-6670. About Allergy, Sleep & Lung Care Allergy, Sleep & Lung Care is dedicated to improving and maintaining the health status of their patients by providing compassionate, top quality care. The respected practice provides excellence in patient care with the innovation that counts. The highly experienced team continues to provide a level of care and treatment that is unmatched on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Allergy Sleep & Lung Care is located at16420 HealthPark Commons Drive, Suite 100 Fort Myers, FL 33908, with a second location at 260 Beth Stacey Boulevard, Suite 220 Lehigh Acres, FL 33936.