Daylight Savings Time 2011: things to remember

06 November 2011 | By admin in family health insurance
Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter

West Palm Beach, FL, United States (AHN) – There are a few things you should remember this weekend when you “fall back” for Daylight Savings Times.

First, remember to set your clocks back one hour before you go to sleep Saturday. Daylight Savings Time for 2011 officially ends at 2 a.m. Sunday in the United States and Canada.

Second, make time to check and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Not all areas in the United States observe Daylight Savings Time. These include the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Hawaii and most of Arizona except for the Navajo reservation.

While many people look forward to the extra hour of sleep, Daylight Savings Time can wreak havoc on our basic circadian rhythm (the body clock). It is easier to stay up an hour later than to go to sleep an hour earlier, health experts say. But there are some things that you can do to help your body adjust.

To sleep well, your body clock must be in sync with your daily schedule. What sets your body clock is mostly your wakeup time. Experts say there are several things you can do to adjust to the time change and ensure a good night’s sleep.

A consistent wakeup time is the single best measure you can take for good sleeping habits. Don’t vary your wake up time by more than one hour, even on weekends.

Remember that beds are for sleeping. Don’t do anything that requires concentration in the bedroom. Even a TV in the bedroom is a bad idea for many people.

Forgo exercise right before bedtime, and don’t go to bed on an empty stomach. Pass on caffeine and alcohol for several hours before bedtime, and try to wake up to natural light.

Finally, don’t worry too much about your sleep–it just may keep you up at night.

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