Spring is Coming! As winter winds down and the snow melts, the beginning of spring is upon us. That means it’s time to change our wardrobes and finally get to that spring cleaning we’ve been putting off all winter. With the arrival of spring also means Daylight Saving Time. Yes, the time has come to spring forward and adjust our clocks by one hour.
For some, this is a hassle. Shifting the clock ahead, even by an hour, can be a lot for those whose day-to-day is predicated by timed-out schedules. For others, this is a plus. Daylight Saving Time was originally introduced as a method of conserving energy and making better use of daylight. No matter if you love or hate this practice, we (unless you live in Arizona) all need to prepare for the shift. Here are 5 easy ways to do that.
1. Reduce Caffeinated Beverages The Night Before
With the fast pace demands of life, maintaining our energy is key in order to handle our responsibilities in a timely fashion. One of the ways some of us do so is by drinking caffeinated beverages. While this might be part of your normal routine, with Daylight Saving Time approaching, try reducing your normal intake. With the shift in time, consuming your usual intake might make it difficult to fall asleep and cause you to wake up fatigued the next morning. By scaling back, you’ll be able to get your rest and wake up fresh and rejuvenated. As opposed to groggy because you weren’t able to get enough sleep.
2. Get Some Sleep
The night before the clocks shift, simply get some rest. If you're someone that needs a certain amount of rest in order to be productive in your day-to-day, factor that the night before so that you can get an adequate amount of sleep. This will allow you to be at optimal energy levels for whatever tasks might be waiting for you when you wake up. Prioritize your sleep and kickstart your week into high gear. One of the ways to ensure you get a good sleep is ensuring your mattress offers pressure point relief like the Bear Hybrid does.
3. Check Your Clocks
In today's world where everything is digital, things are automatically updated on the fly. Automatic updates can be a life saver by saving us the hassle of updating things manually. However, not everything is digital. So on that fateful morning, when you arise, do a quick sweep of the house. There might be a microwave timer or other household clocks that need an adjustment. You don’t want to wake up, having forgotten to charge your phone the previous night, and start your day based on the wrong time. So again check all the clocks in the house, wrist watches as well, and make sure they’re correct.
4. Spend time in the Sun
Sometimes when life becomes too much, we could use some sort of a breather. As much as we try to hammer away at everything all at once, it is simply not always possible or healthy. Sometimes a break is very much needed. One way of doing such is to get out and get some sun. Whether it be work, school, or at home, sometimes we can be inside for far too long. When this cabin fever emerges, simply step outside. By getting that extra sunlight and fresh air, we reset ourselves and prevent any possible burnout. So when in doubt, just head out.
5. RELAX
So you limited your caffeine intake, got your normal amount of rest, fixed all the clocks in the house, and even got some extra sun. What now? Easy, relax. Depending how old you are, this isn’t your first rodeo when it comes to Daylight Saving Time. You are well aware and prepared for this time of year from previous years. Nothing new is going to happen that didn’t happen during the previous Daylight Saving Time. So just take it easy and relax, stressing won’t do anything nor will it bring back the hour you lost by spring ahead. Don’t panic and worry about what the shift ahead may or may not do to your schedule. Instead focus on what you can control and go on about your day.
So there you have it. You now have all the tools you need to ensure that you aren’t caught off guard by Daylight Saving Time. Some of these you’ve probably already done/doing. If not, try the ones you aren’t currently doing and see what improvements, if any, you experience. As stated before, in the midst of Daylight Savings, getting a good night's rest matters.
Whether you sleep on your side, back, stomach or combo, make sure you are using a quality mattress. Not only will your body benefit but also you’ll awake having had a clean, cool, and restful sleep. If not then Daylight Saving Time will be the least of your worries.
