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Don't Let Daylight Savings Time Be SAD

Don’t forget to set your clocks back this weekend! It’s another round of daylight savings time, this time returning Americans back to normal time. But unfortunately it can mean more than just a welcomed extra hour of sleep on Sunday.
With daylight savings time comes the possibility of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) hitting hard. According to Health Digest News, it afflicts approximately 500,000 Americans by toying with their circadian rhythms because of the earlier sunset.
The sun going down earlier can affect anyone, but if you start feeling things like “depression, sluggishness, sleeplessness, fatigue, and food cravings,” you may be experiencing SAD.
Tips such as these are easy ways to combat SAD and get back to feeling normal:
∑ Increasing exposure to light – this can be done just by enjoying the outdoors more often during the day or by investing in a light therapy box. See our article The Light Box Effect for more info about these (http://www.isleptgreat.com/newsandresearch/the_light_box_effect)
∑ Focusing on positive thoughts.
∑ Exercising (outdoor exercise is more beneficial)
∑ Reducing sugar and carbohydrate consumption.
∑ Maintaining regular sleep habits and not oversleeping.
∑ Maintaining usual levels of social activity.
The change in time can also be beneficial. It can help encourage the start of a new sleep routine that includes always getting that extra hour of sleep, so take advantage of it this weekend!
This article is a summary adaptation of “An Extra Hour of Sleep, Then What? – Changing of Clocks Can Bring Changes in Well-being” can be found at the following URL: http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Family_Health_210/An_Extra_Hour_of_Sleep_Then_What_-_Changing_of_Clocks_Can_Bring_Changes_in_Well-being.shtml