Spring Forward 2017

It’s that time again to Spring Forward (Sunday at 2 a.m.).
Twice a year I write about time change. (Read last year’s Spring Forward post here.)
I have never been a fan of time change.
I don’t get the point of it. I grew up in Arizona where time change doesn’t occur.
I say, let’s Spring Forward and be done with it.
To my Arizona family members who can never quite get the time difference: Starting Sunday we will be on the same time.
Last year when we Sprang Forward I followed all of the advice (and then some) I am giving below and wow, it really does work! (Here’s the post about me taking my advice with time change.)
This is the advice I like to give on how to deal with time change:

• Don’t go to bed too late Saturday and Sunday night.
  
• Make sure you have breakfast Sunday morning (and every morning).
  
• Try not to eat a lot of crap. Stick to fruits and veggies as snacks instead of sugary or salty foods.
  
• Drinks lots of water Saturday and Sunday (and every day).
  
• Exercise. (At least a walk sometime Sunday and maybe even Saturday.) I’ll be doing my own yoga home practice and taking a yoga class late Sunday morning.
  
• Keep up the exercise throughout the week, especially on Monday. It will be tough, but well worth it.
  
• If you do nap Sunday (I love my weekend naps), don’t nap too late.
  
• If caffeine really affects you, maybe cut back Sunday and definitely don’t have it too late in the day.
  
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink this weekend. (I don’t drink much these days, but over this weekend I will be “off the sauce.”)
  
• Try to start winding your day down an hour before you go to bed on Sunday. If you normally go to bed around 10 p.m., then at 9 p.m. make sure you are done for the day and ready for Monday’s workday. Do something relaxing for that hour: read a book, knit, lounge, take a bath, do the next item on the list.
  
• Maybe try a cup of warm tea, cider or even hot cocoa to get you warm and cozy before bed.
  
• Perhaps take Melatonin (a natural supplement). I wouldn’t take this for the first time Sunday night. And you should discuss this with your doctor first. You want to make sure it doesn’t make you groggy the next morning. So maybe try it a night or two before the time change if this will be a first time for you.
  
• Do a gentle yoga practice. Anytime is nice. But later in the afternoon or soon before bed can help with your sleep. Try a couple of simple poses: Lie on your back and hug your knees to your chest; Jathara Parivartanasana (Reclined Twist); roll over and come onto all fours and transition into Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog); Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide Legged Forward Fold) Supported Setu Bandha (Supported Bridge Pose); Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall). (I wrote a post sharing a yoga sequence for sadness, which I think benefits many things, including calming the body and mind for rest. Feel free to try it out.)
  
• You can also do one of my online yoga videos, which can be found on my YouTube channel, Ann’s Yoga Videos. I have two basics yoga practices and two chair yoga practices, which are more gentle and accessible to many types of bodies, injuries and levels.
  
• I also just posted an online Restorative Yoga video. You can do just one or two of the poses or all of them. I teach you set up and how to get out of each pose. Holding each pose for 3-5 or even 10 minutes (if you have the time) will be beneficial.
  
  

Any of my readers have any other suggestions or things they do?