We all dread it. The day that we lose an hour of sleep every year-daylight saving time. While I definitely appreciate the extra hour of sunshine, I am not a fan of losing sleep. Maybe it’s because of the four kids that kept me up many nights, but I LOVE sleep. I need a good 8 hours each night now. Daylight Saving Time throws it all off, and my kids are almost worse than I am! They end up all out of sorts. They want to stay up later, but have trouble falling asleep. Of course they still have to stick to our normal schedule, too. It’s BRUTAL. Thankfully, I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve thanks to our sponsor, ZzzQuil.
I’m not alone, though. A new survey says that most people have trouble adjusting to Daylight Saving Time.
- More than half of all US adults say their sleep is affected by Daylight Saving Time; for those that say they suffer from occasional sleeplessness, more than 60% cite DST as affecting their sleep.
- Daylight Saving Time affects sleep for a majority of US adults (55%) and 67% of Millennials.
- Despite that, 81% of US adults do nothing to prepare for the time change.
- Some of the significant problems caused by DST that affect roughly half (48%) of US adults include oversleeping, showing up late for work, or losing a personal item such as a wallet or keys.
Daylight Saving Survival Tips:
I’ve partnered with ZzzQuil to share my best tips to help you get through Daylight Savings Time.
Know when to expect it. It’s this weekend. Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday, March 8, 2015.
Start adjusting your schedule now. Adjust your schedule over the next few days by about 15 minutes. If you normally get up at 6:30am and go to bed at 11:30, try going to bed 15 minutes early and getting up 15 minutes early.
Use ZzzQuil as needed. Keep some ZzzQuil on hand in case you have trouble sleeping. Visit here to download a coupon for ZzzQuil. ZzzQuil is a non-habit-forming sleep-aid for the relief of occasional sleeplessness that can help you fall asleep easily, sleep soundly and wake up feeling refreshed.
Nap as needed. You may feel like you want to push through being tired, but taking a nap is a great way to adjust to DST. Just make sure you (or your kids) don’t sleep too close to your bedtime.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol. While it’s tempting to down that second or third cup of coffee or try to use a glass of wine to help you fall asleep easier both caffeine and alcohol can make the DST adjustment more difficult. Avoid extra caffeine and alcohol for about a week or so – you should adjust by then.
Make your sleep space comfortable and a screen-free zone. While it’s tempting to fall asleep with the TV on or stare at your phone before bed the light from your screens can make it harder to fall asleep. It can be worse when you’re already off your routine, so spend some time this weekend tidying up your room and make it comfortable, clean, and clutter free. It will help you get to sleep sooner.
What would you do with your lost hour?
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What would you do with your lost hour? Would you sleep more, read a book, catch up on your favorite TV show? Share what you would do with your lost hour with ZzzQuil for fun. Tweet to ZzzQuil’s Twitter (@ZzzQuil) or leave a comment on their Facebook page to share where you think that lost hour of sleep goes. They’ll be responding in a fun way.
[Tweet “I would do….. with my #losthour @ZzzQuil”]
Kelly
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Vicks. All opinions are my own.
