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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — On the cusp of the switch to Standard Time on Sunday, where we "fall back" and gain an extra hour, medical officials say now is the best time to start thinking about changing up bedtimes, all in an effort to secure better sleeping habits.
Doctor Charles Czeisler, the Head of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital, told WBZ's Madison Rogers that it's an ideal time to build back on some lost shut eye.
"This is a special time of year, when you really have an opportunity to create some new sleep habits that allow you to catch up on sleep, and pay back some of the 'sleep debt' that most of us have," Dr. Czeisler said.
The doctor goes on to acknowledge that ordinarily, it's more difficult for individuals to fall asleep earlier than they usually do because of the way the brain operates. Specifically, the circadian clocks of humans send out the strongest drive for waking usually just before we decide it's time for bed. But if you fight the urge to stay awake, the health benefits to repaying that so-called sleep debt can be substantial.
"This weekend, when people get an extra hour of sleep, there's a five percent reduction in the risk of a heart attack during the next week," Dr. Czeisler said.
But changing up sleep habits isn't an overnight process; officials say those looking to shift their schedules should do so gradually in the nights leading up to the time change. Other tips included in the doctor's findings say acclimation to the time shift can come easier with an early dinner, increased light exposure in the evening, wearing a sleep mask, and avoidance of caffeine use (which can stay in your system for more than ten hours).
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On the debate of Daylight Savings Time versus Standard Time in Congress, Dr. Czeisler is leaning towards the latter, saying that falling out of DST is a more natural process on the human body than springing forward. It's an opinion juxtaposed to the stance of lawmakers in the Senate who unanimously passed legislation to make DST permanent, though the proposal is finding more resistance in the House, according to Reuters.
Looking at the short-term though, Dr. Czeisler urges those who are chronically sleep-deprived to not miss out on the opportunity for a better sleep schedule.
WBZ's Madison Rogers (@madisonwbz) reports.
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