(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- As we prepare to spring ahead the clocks this weekend, sleep experts are sharing advice on ways to get better sleep.
For many Americans, changing the clocks twice a year has become almost an automatic activity.
But sleep medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine Kelly Gil said she thinks daylight saving is "outdated" and might actually make it harder to maintain good sleep health.
"It's already a challenge to maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule, in our current society, with constant stimulation, and this maybe was appropriate in the past. I think it's not appropriate for our society."
She said the change in sleep schedules can also have an effect on our mood for many reasons.
"One of our neuro chemicals are changed whether we're awake or asleep. Secondly, Our hormones, our neuro endocrine system changes based on sleep versus wake, so all these factors can lead to increase in fatigue."
That fatigue can last for up to two weeks after changing the clocks, which for some people, can cause depression and anxiety, according to Gill.
Gill recommends 15- 20 minutes of routine moderate exercise before and after the changing of the clocks or trying out a green light for relaxation.
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