Wake Up to Daylight Savings

Oscar Schwartz, MD, BJC Medical Group sleep disorder specialist

On March 11, we will “spring forward” and gain an hour of light, but lose an hour of sleep.

“Circadian rhythms, our internal body clock, are internally generated but influenced by environment, behavior, oral intake and medications,” says Oscar Schwartz, MD, BJC Medical Group sleep disorder specialist and medical director of the Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital (BJWCH) Sleep Disorder/EEG Center. “Generally ‘losing’ an hour of sleep in the spring is more difficult to adjust to, than ‘gaining’ an hour in the fall. However, this shifting around is problematic for our brain.”

According to Dr. Schwartz, some people have more problems with a one hour change. These problems can include more restless sleep, which may increase sleepiness the next day. Memory decline, difficulty in concentration and decreases in mental and physical performance issues may develop.

Without compensation for the loss of one hour, people may use their prior sleep cycle to tell them of the need to go to bed. Their biorhythm will be at least an hour too late. This will perpetuate their sleep loss over many days, rather than rapidly correcting to the new time.

This may compound sleep disorders and difficulties in shift workers. A recent analysis showed that fewer than three percent of workers who worked nights permanently were able to adapt their circadian rhythms, and fewer than 25 percent were able to adjust to benefit from this shift.

How Common Are Sleep Disorders?

The BJWCH Sleep Center team including left to right, Julie Toomey, manager; polysomnographic technologists Chastity Johnson; Nicole Taormina and Angie Carter; and Adrienne Burton, administrative assistant, assisted with 1,547 studies to diagnose sleep disorders in 2017.

“If your sleep cycle is not good to begin with, this change may be even more painful,” Dr. Schwartz says. “Millions of Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, and untreated sleep disorders as well as chronic sleep deprivation, make circadian shifts more problematic.”

Sleep disorders affect approximately 40 million Americans, but only five percent are diagnosed and treated. Sleep disorders include narcolepsy, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea. Inadequate sleep is associated with mood swings, stress, high blood pressure and weight gain. “A person not getting adequate sleep might find themselves developing further complications associated with these issues, such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, diabetes or Parkinson’s Disease,” Dr. Schwartz says.

The solution — better sleep. “In other countries sleep is a priority, but in America, other activities take priority,” he says. “As only the last resort, when we have exhausted ourselves, we sleep. Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.”

Sleep Tips To A Good Night Rest

• Seven to nine hours of sleep a day is considered normal. Although they don’t have to be consecutive, if you make up sleep with a nap, make sure you nap before 3 p.m. and limit it to an hour.

• Sleep disorders like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome include warning signs, such as loud snoring; stopping breathing or gasping for breath during sleep; feeling sleepy or dozing off while engaging in daily activities; difficulty sleeping three nights a week or more; unpleasant tingling, creeping feelings or nervousness; and the urge to move your legs when trying to sleep. If you experience these issues, consider a sleep study.

• If you work nights, to improve sleep quality during the day, try using earplugs and blackout drapes.

• Caffeine works well for short periods but it should not be consumed in such amounts that it disturbs one’s ability to sleep.

• Twenty to 30 minutes of good light exposure in the morning can help with transition to daylight savings and an earlier time zone.

• Alcohol intake can have stimulating effects that impact your sleep quality, as well as your ability to fall and stay asleep.

• Don’t go to bed hungry, but you don’t want to eat right before bed. Your lightest meal should be the closest one to bedtime.

• Complete exercise by 6 p.m. for a 10 p.m. bedtime.

• Limit screen time or other electronic device use prior to bedtime. Exposure to light, such as use of electronics and watching television, can impact your sleep.

• Over-the-counter sleep aids can be more problematic than helpful because of possible side effects, such as grogginess the next day.

• Pets have a habit of waking us up throughout the night, so have them sleep in their own beds.

Contact Us: Physicians

To refer a patient, physicians can fax the order to 314-996-8730 or call 314-996-8680.

Contact Us: Patients

If you have difficulty sleeping, we encourage you to seek help from a professional. For more information, call 314-996-8680.

Sleep Disorder Center Location