(March 11, 2024) — Now that you’ve moved your clocks ahead by an hour, how are you sleeping? The time change messes with your body’s internal clock, and that can cause problems.

“People tend to think the time change is just an annoyance, but it can have a big impact on your sleep and your health,” says Dr. Anuj Chandra, medical director of the Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders. “The real issue is about disrupting your sleep-wake cycle. Research shows that the spring time change can cause increased driving accidents, increased workplace accidents, lower school performance, and even a small increase in heart attacks.”

Tips to adjust to the time change after it happens:

• Exercise — “Exercising helps to make you tired at bed time so you fall asleep more easily, even if your body’s sleep patterns have been thrown off by the time change. But stop exercising about two hours before you go to bed, or the it might keep you awake.”
• Still No Naps — “Napping takes the edge off your need to sleep at night, so it’s better to avoid naps and just go to bed earlier if you have to.”
• No Stimulants — “Caffeine and sugar might help you feel more alert for a short time during the day, but they make it harder to get to sleep at night.”
• Be Patient — “It can take up to a week for your body to get used to the new time, so be patient.”

Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM, founded the Advanced Center for Sleep Medicine in 2005, an independent sleep medicine clinic equipped with the latest sleep testing equipment and with locations in and around Chattanooga, Tennessee. Since 2005, Dr. Chandra has served on the international teaching faculty of the National Sleep Medicine Course, a physician education initiative to bring cutting-edge sleep medicine training to India. For more on Dr. Chandra and the Advanced Center for Sleep Medicine, visit www.sleepforhealth.org.