Beginning at two in the morning on March 10, you can move your clocks one hour forward as Daylight Savings Time (DST) begins across the country. As one of the first signs of Spring, you’ll begin enjoying longer daylight hours with the sun setting later in the day. In the United States, Daylight Savings Time will end on the first Sunday of November.
Noteworthy to DST is its effect on your body’s circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm contributes to your body’s daily function through biological rhythms. It’s often affected by differing exposures to light, especially sunlight. When our eyes detect sunlight earlier in the day, we’re able to wake up and feel energized to begin our days. This is also why we can feel tired when the sun goes down as our eyes are exposed to less light and more darkness.
Unfortunately, we experience less daylight right away when DST begins. As a result, you may find it difficult to wake up in the morning with less exposure to sunlight. Symptoms of grogginess or tiredness may be greater in the morning. The sun will also be up much longer after DST begins. This will also affect your daily circadian rhythm. You may not be able to fall asleep as quickly as you’d like because of the greater exposure to light as your brain is thinking it’s not your bedtime yet. All of this can result in less sleep. Less sleep can mean poor effects on your health and safety. Increases in heart attacks, car accidents, and work accidents all rise after DST goes into effect.
How Can You Prepare for DST?
Whether you are a Direct Care Professional or a participant with employees, the CDC shares some tips to prepare for DST. These tips include:
- Alert employees when DST begins and encourage them to be on a consistent sleep routine.
- Encourage going to bed earlier before DST changes to get used to the decrease in darkness at night.
- Be aware of strenuous mental and physical tasks DCPs must complete throughout the day.
- Be mindful of activities that include high levels of focus like cooking or driving.
- Encourage rest when needed.
Resources
If you’d like additional resources on DST, the CDC has you covered. Check out the links below: