It’s that time of the year again, when we have to figure out what to do with the clocks – and indeed, how many time-keeping devices we have around the house nowadays. Some of them change themselves and others don’t.
Then on top of that, there’s all the people arguing about whether changing the clocks twice a year is a good thing or a bad thing. Everybody has an opinion and it turns out that there is not much hard data to back up any of those opinions.
What we do know is that here at Gateway Psychiatric we see an uptick in complaints of sleeping problems whenever there’s a time change. Over the years, we’ve gathered a few tips to help folks stick to what really works.
Keep your daily routine
- We can’t overemphasize the importance of maintaining your circadian rhythms and regular daily patterns. If they get a bit disrupted, find ways to get back on schedule as soon as you can.
Ease into it gradually
- If possible, start a few days early and move forward, say 15 minutes, the first day, 30 minutes the second day, etc. If you usually go to church on Sunday mornings, you probably won’t be the only one who’s late. Don’t sweat it.
Watch for signs of mania or hypomania
- Find someone you trust and ask them to help you monitor your behavior for any signs of “speeding up” as the days get longer and the evenings stretch out more.
- You will make it through. We have confidence in you. There is always enough time for what you really need.