From BZ/dpa
From winter to summer time: This change causes deep circles under the eyes and a drop in performance for some people. But why exactly – and how do we master the start of daylight saving time?
In the night from Saturday (March 25) to Sunday (March 26) it’s that time again: the hand advances one hour, summer time begins. Means: Many of us can do a lap in the light after work. But especially in the first few days it can happen that you have to yawn courageously in between.
After all: “Many people manage the time change without any problems.” That is the assessment of the sleep doctor Kneginja Richter, chief physician at the Curamed day clinic in Nuremberg and professor at the Technical University of Nuremberg.
But some people feel the stolen hour after all – and clearly. They can hardly open their eyes in the morning and drag themselves lazily through the day. A condition that can last for a week and is comparable to mini jet lag.
Sleep-wake cycle plays a role
But why do some people take the time change so badly? This can be because the internal clock does not match the external clock.
“People invented the clock to structure their activities,” says Kneginja Richter. But: If we were to follow our sleep-wake cycle – completely independently of the time – it would be longer or shorter than 24 hours for many people.
“With the time change now to summer time, the people who suffer the most are those who have a longer sleep-wake cycle than the 24-hour cycle,” says the sleep doctor.
If the internal clock assumes a 25-hour day anyway, another hour that is missing carries all the more weight.
Poorer sleep in old age
But even those who tend to sleep badly anyway may find it harder to cope with the time change. Age can also play a role in this.
“From the age of 55, the pineal gland in the brain releases less melatonin, the sleep hormone,” says Richter. This can be a risk factor for sleep disorders – and thus make you more sensitive to the time change.
Our expectations can also affect how well we handle the start of daylight saving time. Because the time change does not come out of nowhere – it creates it in our consciousness days in advance.
“And if we know that we are sensitive to it, we may program ourselves: Oh, I’ll sleep badly this week, too,” says Richter.
This thought can stress us so much that we find it difficult to rest.
Go to bed a little earlier, get up a little earlier
Looking at the time change with a little more composure is a start.
And there are other tips. For example, going to bed a quarter of an hour earlier every day before the time change – and also setting the alarm clock a little earlier.
“In this way you can slowly adapt to the new times,” says Kneginja Richter.
Another tip from the sleep doctor: “Light, light, light. Because the more light we get during the day, the more energy we feel and the easier it is for us to deal with problems like the time change.”
All the more reason to go out after work and catch a few rays of sunshine.