Adjust to daylight savings with these 3 simple sleep hacks

Adjust to daylight savings with these 3 simple sleep hacks

Summer is finally on the horizon and we’ll soon be enjoying an extra hour of daylight – thanks to daylight savings. However, this also means that we’ll be losing an hour of sleep. So just how do you adjust…

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks one hour during the warmer months of the year – giving us more light hours in the summer. In Australia, Daylight saving is observed in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory, while in New Zealand it affects the entire country.

This year, DST begins in New Zealand at 2am on Sunday, September 30, and will push the clocks forward an hour. Meanwhile, over the Tasman, Daylight Saving Time begins at 2am on the first Sunday in October, when clocks are put forward one hour. It ends at 2am (which is 3am Daylight Saving Time) on the first Sunday in April, when clocks are put back one hour.

If this has you worried you will be losing out on that much-needed shut-eye, here’s some advice on how to make the time change easier on our bodies, so that we don’t have to sacrifice precious ZZZs:

Start adjusting your bedtime now: In order to adjust to daylight saving time, start gradually shifting your sleep schedule by 15 minutes each day for the four days prior. By the time the day arrives, you are well adjusted.

Dim your electronics: Artificial lights can suppress melatonin, which is a sleep-inducing hormone. Dim screen light from electronics, like your phone or tablets, and use features such as the iOS night shift mode to minimise blue light in the evening. Also, power down digital devices at least one hour before bedtime.

Brew your bedtime tea with a banana peel: Bananas are rich in magnesium, and the peels are especially loaded with the mineral that promotes relaxation, according to sleep expert Dr Michael Breus. He recommends making a tea with a clean banana peel by cutting off the stem and tip. Then he boils half of the peel in water for a few minutes and adds some honey.

 

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