News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Are you feeling more tired than usual? A local sleep expert said the time change leaves many people struggling to adjust to new sleep schedules.
Cookeville Regional Medical Center Sleep Physician Dr. James Davis said it is common for people to feel more tired after the time changes. Davis said the human body runs on a 24-hour cycle and when the time changes the cycle is out of sync.
“It’s not just our brain trying to adjust to a new time, a new sleep time and wake time but it’s the whole body,” Davis said. “When the brain and body get out of sync with each other as it inevitably happens with these time changes then that’s where a lot of problems occur.”
Davis said to avoid napping, sleeping in, and taking additives as they may put your brain to sleep but not your body. Davis said the way to overcome the time change drowsiness is to keep the same sleeping routine for the next couple of days.
“In a sense you have to tough it out for a while or few days,” Davis said. “Just count on being sleep-deprived because you have that set wake time in the morning and eventually the sleep deprivation itself will work to help you fall asleep at night.”
Davis also suggested taking two or three milligrams of melatonin before going to bed at your new bedtime. Davis said if you stick to a sleep schedule the body should adjust fairly quickly.
“If you stick to that it’s probably a matter of days or a week or two before you get into the new wake and sleep time,” Davis said. “Then the internal body physiological rhythms will follow.”
Davis said the people affected the most are those who have inconsistent sleep schedules. Davis said elderly people may not be affected as much especially if they are retired.
