INDIANAPOLIS — Are you ready to spring forward this Sunday morning as Daylight Saving Time begins?
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"This one is where we actually lose an hour of sleep, right?" asked Tim Carlos, a Carmel resident.
Yes, this is the time change that jumps from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday, meaning we "lose" that hour of sleep.
"Which does stink," Carlos continued. "This is actually my preferred side of Daylight Saving Time, I think, because I'm more of a nighttime person, so I just like the extra hour at night."
The daylight will extend longer into the evening following this change, but it will be darker in the morning hours.
The hour jump can mess with your circadian rhythm.
"On paper, it's just one hour, but the impact is felt for almost another week following that," explained Dr. Harish Rao, a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist at Riley Children's Hospital.
"There's a cumulative loss of almost two and a half to three hours the following week after the time change," Dr. Rao continued.
Dr. Rao went on to share that children, especially, have a hard time adjusting to the sudden shift.
"It's hard to get them back to sleep at their regular hours. That adjustment takes time, and in this period, there can be some behavioral issues, some difficulty getting them back on track," Dr. Rao said.
Adults can also have problems.
"Increased risk of traffic accidents in the first few days and up to a week after that, mostly in the mornings," said Dr. Rao, plus, "Increased risk of cardiac events or even increased risk of stroke in that period."
"Monday's going to be brutal," said Caroline Park, a resident of downtown Indy.
So while the time change is still a few days away, you can prepare now to ease your body into the changes.
One thing that might surprise you? Caffeine may not be the best solution.
"We're here, and ready for you!" said Addie Burton with Foundry Provisions, a coffee shop in downtown Indy.
What does Burton predict about the morning rush next week?
"Less people early in the morning," said Burton. "There's some people that come in immediately when we open, and I feel like that's going to dwindle."
Burton expects plenty of people to filter in later in the day. Burton also predicts some orders to change to get the maximum amount of coffee and caffeine, with less sugar and creamer.
Dr. Rao doesn't think the caffeine is helpful in the long run.
"It just makes it harder to fall asleep, and then it makes it harder to get used to that time change," said Dr. Rao. "Morning light exposure does a lot more wonders than reaching for that double espresso."
Light can help your body adjust, especially if you wake up early.
You can start waking up 15 to 20 minutes earlier each day leading up to the time change to prepare.
Here are a few more suggestions from Dr. Rao to help avoid sleep loss:
- Avoid napping
- Remain active
- Get plenty of light exposure, especially in the morning
- Turn off electronics and dim lights before bedtime
If the Daylight Saving Time shift has you feeling blue, remember that March is still the month where we gain the most natural daylight: over 75 minutes gained between March 1 and March 31.
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