It is not only pleasant to sleep an hour longer
On the first of November, the clocks are going to be set back one hour again. A blessing for the owls, a curse for the larks. Because, changing to winter-time creates a one-time, artificially prolonged 25-hours-day. This complies with the inner clock of some people. The win of one hour in the autumn is an advantage for the so-called owls who like to go to bed and get up later. But, for a lot of people the change of the sleep-wake-cycle causes noticeable physical or psychological complaints. Sleeping expert Dr. med. h.c. Guenther W. Amann-Jennson knows how to lower the reactions.
From experience, for older people, infants and children the adaption to the changing of the clocks is more difficult and therefore they often are stronger affected. The changing of the clocks in the autumn brings some kind of “jet-lag”, out of this reason, the symptoms of the change are very similar to the symptoms of a jet-lag. It may take several days until the body has adapted to the changed sleep-wake-cycle, in worst cases even a couple of weeks. For every human being, the adaption runs different. Even a seemingly tiny variation of 60 minutes can lead to reactions like tiredness, cardio-vascular-problems, digestion difficulties and of course fall asleep- and sleep-through disturbances. About one fifth of the people is directly affected by such complaints. But, the change of the sleep-rhythm is not health-supporting for anyone else, too. “According to a comprehensive chronobiologic study, the organism is not able to get accustomed to the change of the clock taking place twice a year. Even when the majority of the people is not reporting about lasting problems”, explains sleep scientist Amann-Jennson. The reason for that is, that the change of the clock abruptly interrupts the adaption of the inner clock to the variance of the day-night-change due to the time of the year. By the way, in Germany 91 % believe that the change has an effect on the human being, so the result of a survey of the market research institute “Earsandeyes”, Hamburg, Germany.
“During the first week after the change of the clock, a lot of people will wake up earlier than necessary and will be tired earlier in the evening”, summarizes Amann-Jennson out of long-time experience. “Instead of tossing and turning awake in the bed it would be better to get up and use the time for a early-morning walk. When you are feeling tired during the day, take short recreation breaks or a brief walk in fresh air”, so the advice of Amann-Jennson.
If you carry out the following easy hints of sleeping expert Amann-Jennson you may avoid or at least “soften” conversion reactions and impairments of well-being:
- To perfectly prepair to the change of clock, go to bed later a couple of days before the change -– 15 minutes per day will do. Especially on Saturday go to bed later than usually.
- Light is an important timer to “calibrate” the inner clock. Out of this reason, a walk during the weekend as late as possible but still in daylight helps. Visits to the cinema or a candle-light dinner in a restaurant better do another time!
- Bright, artificial light in the evening helps to better deal with the change to winter-time.
- During the first days of the change take light meals in the evening and drink only little alcohol. Do without coffee, tea or other stimulating beverages up to three hours before going to bed.
- When you are having a sensitive digestion, adapt meal-times step by step.
- On Sunday better get up half an hour earlier than usual, take a short walk before breakfast –- which should not be too lush.
- When feeling tired, poor circulation or lacking in concentration occur, immediately take a short break. Move in fresh air and care for enough liquids.
- When falling asleep early is difficult, don’t just take sleeping pills. It is better to try herbs like valerian, hops or balm either in form of a tea or sugar-coated tablets, first.
- Relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation according Jacobsen or autogenic training can be an effective help for falling asleep problems.
Don’t take a lunch-time-nap during the time of the change. When feeling tired, better take a recreational break. So, the inner clock will even out again and your nightly sleep improves. - When driving a car be twice as careful. Car drivers not only have to deal with small “jet-lag-symptoms” but also with earlier rising darkness which especially affects evening rush hour. During this time of the year, rain, fog and leaves on the street are a further risk. Also when working on machines and when dealing with tools you should be twice as careful during this time.
- In winter-time, it is hormonally caused that we are less enterprising, often melancholic and subdued as well as our need for sleep and warmth is increased. Is there something more beautiful in the icy time of the year than slip under cuddly blankets of sheep wool and enjoy sleep? Out of this reason it pays off to modify your bedding to “winter-sleep” on time.
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This post is also available in / Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch in: German
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