Skip to main content
MCHS_Logo_2024_BLACK
  • Patient Portal
  • Pay Bill Online
  • Request an Appointment
    • Services

      Featured Services

      • Cardiology (Heart)
      • Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Digestive Care)
      • Neurosurgery
      • Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB-GYN)
      • Oncology (Cancer)
      • Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery (Bones)
      • Primary Care
      • Spine Care
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Urology

      View all services
    • Providers
    • Locations

      Minnesota

      • Albert Lea
      • Austin
      • Belle Plaine
      • Blooming Prairie
      • Butterfield
      • Caledonia
      • Cannon Falls
      • Fairmont
      • Faribault
      • Lake City
      • Lake Crystal
      • Mankato
      • Montgomery
      • New Prague
      • Northfield
      • Owatonna
      • Plainview
      • Red Wing
      • Rochester
      • Sherburn
      • St. James
      • St. Peter
      • Waseca
      • Waterville
      • Wells
      • Zumbrota

      Wisconsin

      • Arcadia
      • Barron
      • Bloomer
      • Chetek
      • Chippewa Falls
      • Eau Claire
      • Ellsworth
      • Glenwood City
      • Holmen
      • La Crosse
      • Menomonie
      • Mondovi
      • Onalaska
      • Osseo
      • Prairie du Chien
      • Rice Lake
      • Sparta
      • Tomah

      Iowa

      • Decorah

      View map
    • Classes/Events
    • Blog
    • Wellness
    • Referrals
    Posted By
    Rachel Ziegler MD

    Rachel Ziegler, M.D.

    Sleep Medicine

    Recent Posts

    • Looking at temperature phone app
      Speaking of Health
      5 ways to get better sleep
      February 24, 2023
    • Sleeping on side in bed
      Speaking of Health
      8 common sleep study questions
      January 25, 2022
    Featured Topics
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Heart Health
    • Men's Health
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Health
    • Weight-loss (Bariatric) Surgery
    • Women's Health
    Join our email newsletter
    Speaking of Health
    Friday, March 5, 2021

    How to manage daylight saving time

    Topics in this Post
    • Sleep
    Clock face for daylight saving time

    Updated Feb. 22, 2024

    Fall back. Spring forward. Many people have heard this saying and it helps us remember which way to set our clocks for the start and end of daylight saving time. Although it would be nice to gain an hour of sleep twice a year, that's not the case.

    On March 10, we will lose an hour. Altering your sleep schedule can have a greater effect on your health than you may think, with adverse effects greatest in teenagers and those who have poor sleep habits to begin with. Learn why sleep is an element of success for children.

    With daylight saving time, we lose an hour of sleep in the spring. This loss causes sleep deprivation and sleepiness in most people, and can linger for days to weeks. To minimize the effects, you can make gradual adjustments.

    I recommend these tips to manage the transition to daylight saving time:

    • Go to bed 15 minutes early, starting several days before the change, and increase by 15 minutes every couple of nights. Make an extra effort to be well-rested the week before the time change.
    • If you feel sleepy the Sunday after the change to daylight saving time, take a short 15- to 20- minute nap in the early afternoon — not too close to bedtime.
    • Assess how a nap affects your sleep quality. For some, napping can make nighttime sleeping more difficult. For others, however, a short nap can be revitalizing without affecting nighttime sleep. Learn how to get the most out of napping.
    • Avoid sleeping in an hour longer in the morning.

    In general, you should try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. This helps your body regulate its sleep. If possible, wake up at the same time on the weekends, which can make Monday mornings easier to bear. Read more about ways to get better sleep.

    Regardless of the time of year, proper sleep is an essential part of life.

    Benefits to practicing good sleep health, as well as risks for cutting sleep too short, include:

    • Learning and memory
      Sleep allows the brain to better process new experiences and knowledge, and improves comprehension and memory.
    • Metabolism and weight
      Sleep helps regulate the hormones that affect and control appetite. Studies have shown that during sleep deprivation, the normal hormonal balance is affected and appetite increases.
    • Cardiovascular health
      Serious sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels and irregular heartbeat. Learn more about sleep apnea signs and symptoms.
    • Mood
      Insufficient sleep can make people more agitated or moody the following day. Chronic sleep deprivation can contribute to long-term mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
    • Immunity
      During sleep, the immune system releases proteins called cytokines. These proteins deal with stress, fight infections and decrease inflammation in the body. Without enough sleep, these protective proteins and other important infection-fighting cells are reduced. Our body needs adequate sleep to fight infections and inflammation.
    • Alertness
      Lack of sleep can take a toll on perception and judgment. In the workplace, its effects can be seen in reduced efficiency and productivity, errors and accidents. It also can be deadly, such as drowsy driving fatalities.

    Make sleep health a priority, and you'll start seeing the positive effects.

    Rachel Ziegler, M.D., is a physician in Sleep Medicine in Fairmont, Minnesota.

    Topics in this Post
    • Sleep

    Related Posts

    DrOrders_DrDeetz_cover Always tired? You may have sleep apnea
    JD Kirkman Home sleep study helps Holcombe man rest easy
    Looking at temperature phone app 5 ways to get better sleep

    Stay Connected

    • Contact Us
    • Notice of Nondiscrimination
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • For Patients & Visitors
    • Financial Assistance
    • Price Transparency
    • Community Resources
    • Mayo Clinic Connect
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Press Room
    • Mayo Clinic
    • Manage Cookie
    © 2018 - 2025 Mayo Clinic Health System