Daylight Saving Time: Why You're Tired Today

It was only an hour of sleep that you “lost” Sunday morning to Daylight Saving starting—when clocks “spring ahead one hour—but the effects feel so extreme.

There are a few reasons for that, according to experts.

In addition to intending (but failing) to go to bed early Saturday night to ensure eight hours of sleep, many of us are waking up in the dark again to go to work. Daylight is a “principle time cue,” according to WebMD. To combat this, try to expose yourself to as much natural light as possible—take a walk in the afternoon if you have time and get out of your office and away from those fluorescent lights.

It’s not a coincidence that the Monday after the spring Daylight Saving time shift is National Napping Day, when U.S. residents are encouraged to take a short power nap in the afternoon.

There’s also an increased risk for car accidents (due to driving while tired) according to a study report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Another study suggests more people have heart attacks the Monday and Tuesday after the time change.

Russia ended its participation in Daylight Saving in 2011, believing it may cause “stress and illness.”

What are you doing with your “extra hour” of sunlight in the evenings?

There are some benefits to the hour change, once your body adjusts.

It’s nice to be able to let the kids play outside for a little while after dinner, since the sun doesn’t set until 7:12 p.m. tonight.

Here are a few suggestions of what to do with that extra hour of light in Falls Church:

Bring your bicycle in for a tune up. With nicer weather on the way, you'll want it ready to go.

Start preparing that golf swing! Jefferson District Park's golf course is open, but the evening light and warmer temperatures to come will mean longer hours and more chances to play. (The mini golf at Jefferson District Park opens April 6). 

Other suggestions? Let us know in the comments!

Also see: Why we move our clocks forward in spring.