Daylight savings has mixed blessings for people living in rural areas. “Daylight savings is great for my lifestyle and I love it” said Sleep Consultant Mr Nunn “But that hour change has had significant impact on my sleeping patterns.”
“No matter what the clock says, birds, cows and kids still rise with the sun, so daylight savings can disrupt sleep at both ends of the day,” said Sleep Consultant, Andrew Nunn.
“Don’t be alarmed if it takes more than a few days to recover from the clock shift.”
According to Mr Nunn, what we need to do is re-set our body clocks.
“The best way to do this is to get up at the same time every morning and go outside to expose yourself to direct sunlight,” he said.
“Exposure to sunlight stimulates melatonin production, the hormone that regulates your body clock. As the day darkens and cools – melatonin is released helping us to get to sleep.
It’s not enough to just open the curtains however. Windows reduce the LUX of the light, which stunts this process,” he said.
“Spending time outdoors at the same time every morning is basic good practice for establishing and maintaining good sleep patterns throughout your life.”
For more helpful information and advice about getting a good night’s sleep, check out the Sleep Right Australia website at sleepright.com.au