Many have a hard time coping with the change that comes when Daylight Saving Time begins. Even one hour of lost sleep can impact your health. Michigan Primary Care Partners provider Rachel Zokoe, PA, has some Expert Advice on how you can prepare and cope with the time change.
Think about it like jet lag. For every hour of sleep you lose, it usually takes about one day to fully recuperate. In the Springtime, when we lose an hour of sleep, it can throw you off. Michigan Primary Care Partner’s Rachel Zokoe, PA, encourages her patients to start going to bed about 15 minutes earlier each day, one week before Daylight Saving Time goes into effect, and try to avoid napping the day of the time change. Something else that can help – making sure you get a lot of light exposure first thing in the morning and throughout the day.
“It really helps your body adapt and feel awake,” says Zokoe. “The same goes for at night. If you’re having a hard time falling asleep try to avoid light – especially the blue light from screens. That’s true for good sleep hygiene in general. All of these things can help balance you out when time change can affect you.”
Rachel and the rest of our team are accepting new patients at our four west Michigan locations. To get connected with one of our Internal Medicine and Family Medicine providers, visit our New Patient Page.
