How does sleep restriction work with daylight saving time?

How does sleep restriction work with daylight saving time?

Navigating daylight saving time is tricky, and especially so for insomnia patients undergoing sleep restriction therapy.

The general recommendation is to keep to your assigned sleep schedule, even with the change in daylight saving time. That means you would continue to go to bed and wake up at the same times as you have been, regardless of the shift in the clocks.

The reason for this is that our bodies have a natural internal clock, called the circadian rhythm, that helps to regulate our sleep-wake cycles. When we disrupt this rhythm by changing our sleep schedule too drastically, it can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Of course, everyone's sleep needs and preferences are different, so if you find that the time change is causing significant disruptions to your sleep, you may need to make some adjustments to your schedule. However, we encourage our patients to start by sticking to their current plan and giving their body some time to adjust to the time change naturally.

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