Sleep experts say you should prep your sleep routine now for daylight saving time

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday November 3
Yes, that extra hour of sleep sounds good. But it can actually play havoc with your body's sleep routine.
Yes, that extra hour of sleep sounds good. But it can actually play havoc with your body's sleep routine. Photo credit (Getty Images / stevanovicigor)

Yes, that extra hour of sleep sounds good. But it can actually play havoc with your body's sleep routine.

The end of daylight saving time is coming in just under three weeks. But sleep experts say you can lessen the jolt of falling back one hour by starting to prepare now.

Allina Health sleep medicine doctor Andrew Stiehm says pushing your evening routine back by 15 minutes starting this week should help ease the transition.

"To kind of get your body used to this, this falling back that we're going to do and kind of get used to the new time, as opposed to just doing it one hour all at once," explains Stiehm. "To kind of do maybe 15 minutes this week, a half hour the next week, 45 minutes the next week and then you're into the full hour."

Stiehm says it's typically much easier on our systems to "fall back" than "spring ahead."

Experts say any fluctuation in our sleep-wake cycles can be a tough transition for a few days and Stiehm says this week is the ideal time to start easing into it.

"One of the easiest things, if we're able to, is to start adjusting our routine and often do it by 15 minute intervals for a couple weeks in advance as opposed to one big one hour change," he says.

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday November 3.

Featured Image Photo Credit: (Getty Images / stevanovicigor)