110822 Tips for Better Sleep Blog Banner

It’s time to Fall Back! Daylight Saving Time began way back in March and officially ended on November 8. That meant we all got to snooze for an extra hour, which always feels great in the moment. However, that extra hour of sleep chops and screws our circadian rhythm more than a cloud rap DJ. As a result, it can wreak havoc on our sleep schedule. Fortunately, we can use a few solutions to counterbalance these effects. We’ll look at tips for improving your sleep hygiene around Daylight Saving Time in this post.

How Does Daylight Saving Time Affect Our Sleep?

In most of the continental US, we set our clocks forward by an hour from March to November for Daylight Saving Time (DST). Since 1966, our clocks either jumped from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM or from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM. The theory behind DST is to maximize the number of daylight hours we get in the evening, since the sun rises earlier in the morning during these months.

Problems with DST

On the surface, DST seems simple and efficient. But in recent years, researchers have seen some troubling changes as our bodies respond to our new sleep schedules. On a biological level, researchers have seen that DST can contribute to heart problems, according to the Sleep Foundation. There are psychological issues associated with DST too. Car accidents spike when we change our clocks, and mood disorders rear their ugly heads, too. There are even increased incidences of suicide around DST.

Insomnia and Sleep Debt

This all seems to revolve around sleep disturbances. Two main issues surround DST: insomnia and sleep debt. Insomnia is a pretty obvious problem and results from being unable to fall asleep or sleep through the night. There’s also a more insidious problem known as sleep debt that DST can often trigger. This problem occurs when someone’s lack of sleep builds up over time and can lead to various problems like microsleeps. These episodes are essentially tiny naps that you can’t resist, and they can last between less than a second and up to 30 seconds. They’re particularly dangerous if they occur while you’re driving.

How to Sleep Better: Improve Sleep Hygiene with These Tips

You don’t need to take the problems that come with DST lying down. Instead, you can take some active measures to improve your sleep hygiene. This term refers to techniques you can practice to improve your overall circadian rhythm. Here are a few places to start.

Follow a Consistent Sleep Schedule

One of the most important aspects of maintaining good hygiene is setting a sleep schedule. This means going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning. This can get difficult, though, when the time changes during your sleep cycle. Consider going to bed an hour early when the clocks “fall back.” That way, you can still sleep for the same number of hours and wake up normally. 

Manage Blue Light Exposure

One of the ways that our bodies manage our circadian rhythm is by synching up with blue light exposure. When we absorb blue light through our eyes, our bodies kick into “awake” mode. Likewise, blue light deprivation can help make us sleepy. Our bodies have evolved to react to this stimulus over millions of years.

However, we can get blue light from more than just the sun – particularly electronic devices. As a result, it’s a good idea to try and restrict device use before bed. What’s more, spend some time outside in the morning to expose yourself to blue light from the sun. This will help your body “boot up” and start running for the rest of the day.

Try CBD and CBN

Insomnia is one of the biggest problems facing us when the clocks change. Sometimes, even the most disciplined sleep hygiene disciple can’t doze off at night. If you’ve tried everything and still can’t find rest, cannabinoids like CBD and CBN could offer a natural solution.

Our blog posts cover how CBD can help improve sleep at length. Research seems to have confirmed that CBD can help those with insomnia fall asleep faster and stay asleep through the night. That makes it a potent tool for maintaining sleep hygiene during the DST season.

However, CBD isn’t the only cannabinoid that can make you sleepy. A minor cannabinoid known as CBN may also play a part in sleep cycles. Research has shown that CBN, like CBD, can help combat insomnia.

Here’s the kicker: you may actually be able to combine these two cannabinoids to potentiate their powers. Scientists have discovered a phenomenon known as the “Entourage Effect” that seems to show the effects of cannabinoids becoming more powerful when you combine them.

Stock Up on CBD and CBN Products for Daylight Savings Time with Relive Everyday

If you’re interested in trying CBD and CBN to make sure you don’t fall too far behind this year, Relieve Everyday can help. We’ve formulated an entire line of gummies and oils infused with broad-spectrum hemp oil to capture the power of CBD and CBN together. These are the perfect way to help ease your body into the new post-DST world. To learn more, check out our REM Series of hemp-infused products. And as always, you can check out all of our products in our online store to see how CBD could help with a slew of other problems. Good luck out there!

Your Bag
You have no items in your bag.Shop Products
Calculate Shipping
Apply Coupon