10 ways to avoid struggling with the start of Daylight Saving Time

Whether we like it or not, this weekend our clocks will spring forward, shifting from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM Sunday morning. Kudos to those of you who will be celebrating that spring forward in real time, but the rest of us will be mourning a lost hour of sleep.  

Here are some suggestions on what you can do to prepare in advance and deal with the dreaded loss of an hour of sleep, without losing your mind in the process. 

1. Eat dinner earlier. You know, like your grandparents who have no problem serving dinner at 4 PM! Simply eat earlier. Apparently, late-night meals can cause indigestion that affects your sleep. Heading to an all-you-can-eat buffet at 8 PM might not help with your sleep, and this is not the night to take that risk. 
2. Make a gradual sleep transition. Instead of springing ahead one whole hour on Saturday night, maybe go to bed 30 minutes early Friday night to make the transition easier Saturday night. When you lose that hour, you won't even notice it's gone!  
3. Cut out caffeine after breakfast.  I know, sacrilege! Caffeine is a stimulant that can really disrupt your body's natural rhythm. And sorry chocolate lovers, chocolate has caffeine too. So basically, cut back the coffee, the chocolate, and the will to live. We’re not sure this is a good idea, who really needs sleep anyways! 
4. Wake up earlier. Set that alarm clock earlier than usual and fool your body! It’s like a magic trick on yourself! Get up earlier than normal Saturday morning which will also probably help you get to bed early.  Go ahead, try it, and let us know how that goes for you! 
5. Get some sunshine. Getting as much natural light exposure as possible on Sunday morning can help reset the body clock. Fingers crossed the forecast for sunshine holds!  Is why we love summer so much, because it resets the body's clock? Or, don't we just enjoy wearing 10 fewer layers? 
6. Skip the nap.  If you’re a napper, STOP IT!  You could be messing with your body's natural cycle. Deprive your body of that sleep during the day so you can sleep better at night, maybe you could counter that midafternoon lull with some chocolate and coffee? Ugh, right, see number 3.  Boo. 
7. Don’t mess around with the thermostat!  Sure, it’s only March and sure it still might be cold outside, but the cooler your house is, the better you sleep. As long as it’s not frostbite cool.  Put on a pair of socks and a toque and turn that thermostat down! 
8. Cut out fried foods. This one is kind of depressing huh? No coffee, no chocolate and no fried foods?  While you may feel sluggish and sleepy after a meal of fried food, eating those greasy treats isn't actually going to do you any favors when it comes to resetting your internal clock. A high saturated fat meal is associated with less restful sleep and more waking up during the night.  Sorry, no fries for you! 
9. Turn up the music!  Playing some music can help you relax and sleep. Although, we don’t recommend playing AC/DC as you fall asleep, that might have the opposite effect. 
10. Have a bubble bath!  Now, this is exciting!  Grab your favorite scented bubbles and hit the tub! A little relaxation at the end of a long day in the form of a warm bath can make all the difference. Warm baths increase sleepiness at bedtime. It works on our toddlers, why wouldn’t it work on us? 

Basically, skip chocolate, coffee, French fries and have a bath. And, maybe become a little consistent with your bedtime routine.  Good luck! Saturday night is on its way and we really have no control over it.