Find Sleep as You Spring Forward for Daylight Savings

Many people greet the onset of daylight savings with mixed feelings. The unofficial end to winter is a welcome sight, but springing forward and losing an hour of sleep can be difficult.

Plan ahead and ease into the time change starting tonight and you can minimize the sleep deprivation. Try to sleep 20 minutes earlier each night until the time change on Sunday, March 13. Do the rest of your daily routines a little earlier each day. Eat dinner 20 minutes early tonight.

Fail to plan ahead and the time change may disrupt your body clock. You may feel restless at bedtime Sunday night and start your work week fatigued.

Night owls may have the most trouble springing forward. Going to bed early can be difficult for evening types. Even 20 minutes earlier than normal might not be achievable. If possible, you may want to try to keep a light schedule of activities, especially for the first few days after the time change.

The good news is, even if your sleep schedule temporarily suffers, the winter blues will start to fade. Those affected by seasonal affective disorder may start to feel more energetic as the sunlight increases and the body’s timing may get back on track.

If your sleep problems don’t go away a few weeks after the time change – or if they’ve been around for months – you may want to seek professional help. A clinical sleep specialist can help you get past insomnia using cognitive behavioral therapy.

Multiple Factors Hurt Teen Sleep

Only a small percentage of American teens regularly meet their sleep needs. The reason their losing valuable shuteye isn’t quite as simple as sometimes portrayed. A front page article in the Chicago Tribune earlier this week blamed sleep loss on technology such as video games and gadgets. While this is assessment isn’t untrue, it’s just one piece of the puzzle.

Teens have a tendency to be night owls even though they need more sleep than adults. The AASM recommends a minimum of 9 hours of sleep nightly for teens and adolescents. Many schools require teens to wake up very early, sometimes even before their parents. It’s not uncommon to see high school athletes report to morning practice as early as 5 a.m.

Some teens may not be able to go to sleep early enough to get the recommended hours of sleep even if they wanted. Many teens’ circadian systems are incompatible with early morning schedules. An article in the latest issue of Chronobiology International shows evidence that teens are naturally wired to stay awake later especially in the spring and summer.

The study found sleep onset times were delayed when adolescents were exposed to natural light during the evening hours. As the days become longer teens are inclined to stay up later.

The authors compared self-reported bedtimes and sleep durations to the time of sunset. Teens slept went to sleep early and slept longer during shorter winter days. Researchers presume a lighting scheme to reduce teens’ exposure to evening sunlight may help them get to sleep early during longer days.

That alone may not be enough. Turning off the television and Xbox an hour before bedtime may help. Schools too need to make adjustments so more than 21 percent of teens get enough sleep. Pushing start times forward can make students happier, more productive and even keep them out of harm's way.

Body Clock Breakthrough Could Lead to Magic Jet Lag Pill

Jumping time zones won’t be so jarring if the findings from a new study pan out. Researchers have pinned down the hormone responsible for regulating circadian rhythms.

This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for jet lag. A hormone supplement in the form of a pill in theory could readjust the human body’s circadian rhythms.
A team of German researchers tested the treatment on lab mice.

The medication metyrapone was able to adjust hormone levels affecting their sleep-wake cycle.

Such a treatment could have a tremendous health benefit for frequent business travelers and rotating shift workers. It’s unknown whether a treatment to rapidly readjust the body clock would be more beneficial than the slower naturally occuring adjustments.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders such as jet lag have been linked to increased health risks including breast cancer, heart disease and depression.

Planning ahead by slowly adjusting sleeping and waking hours before a trip may reduce the effects of jet lag. Rest periods, exercise and light therapy may also help.

24 hour endurance races pits drivers against sleep deprivation

Few events in all of sports measure up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in terms of pure difficulty. Drivers must battle their own circadian rhythms and maintain at speeds up to 210 miles per hour to finish the prestigious French endurance race held every year in June.

Manufacturers usually dominate the race coverage. Make no mistake the outcome is largely determined long before the race, during the car development phase. A car must have near flawless aerodynamics and incredible durability to compete.

Similar lofty expectations are asked of team members from the pit to the track. Each has to perform at a maximum level with an attention to detail even in the dark of the night.

Rules state that no driver is able to remain at the wheel for more than four consecutive hours. Each racer is allowed to drive a maximum of 14 hours.

Only a couple drivers have ever attempted the near-impossible task of completing the 24 hour race alone. After a well-publicized driver-fatigue related disaster in 1955, Le Mans began requiring multiple drivers per car.

Drivers usually take off about three hours at a time. Rarely do they get more than an hour or so of real rest. They usually say nighttime is the most difficult, due to the natural human circadian lull that occurs around 3 a.m.

The exhaustion tests teams to their limits emotionally. Friction becomes more common and shouting can happen amidst the crew.

The key is the weeks of preparation teams spend to preparing their bodies and minds for the 24 hour grind.

Driver Alexander Wurz told the New York Times he practiced driving until midnight the entire week before the race. Debriefing sessions typically lasted until 2 or 3 a.m.

With enough practice, the drivers and crew are able to minimize mistakes caused by sleep deprivation.

Drivers know every inch of the track, and can identify the less experienced cars that may cause problems.

Relief comes at the finish line, at least for the successful teams. “You can sleep afterwards if the race has been good,” said Wurz.

Image courtesy Audi USA