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.

    • Related Articles

    • What is sleep restriction therapy?

      Sleep restriction therapy is one of the most powerful tools in sleep psychology and has been extensively researched. People with insomnia often find it counterintuitive that you have to try to stay awake in order to get better sleep, but this is ...

    • How does CBT-I work?

      CBT-I is a multi-component solution for insomnia that combines several approaches, including cognitive restructuring, stimulus control and sleep restriction. CBT-I is NOT about sleep hygiene This is a popular misconception. While common advice such ...

    • What should I do if I experience disruptions in the middle of my sleep restriction program?

      Sometimes you might experience inevitable disruptions in the middle of your sleep restriction program. For example, you might fall sick, or you might have upcoming travel plans. Our first advice is for you to wait and only start your sleep ...

    • Is Stellar Sleep effective?

      Stellar Sleep is proven to be highly effective. We have helped over 10,000 users fall asleep faster, spend more time asleep, and wake up less during the night, and many of them were able to see results in as little as 2 weeks. Over 80% of patients ...

    • Is Stellar Sleep safe for everyone?

      Stellar Sleep uses sleep restriction and consolidation, which may cause daytime sleepiness until sleep has been regulated. In general, Stellar Sleep is safe for most adults, but is not recommended if you have the following conditions or disorder: ...