And once again it's time to Fall Back

So twice a year I write about time change. And we are upon that time once again.
For most of us in the U.S. we will Fall Back on Sunday at 2 a.m.
Many of my readers are from Arizona, so this post doesn’t apply to you as much. But I think the suggestions I am going to make are great whenever you cross time zones.
I am not a great sleeper. And time change for me is pretty difficult.
When you Spring Forward, you lose an hour. The light is different. It is more difficult to get to bed on time for your workweek.
When you Fall Back, you “gain” an hour. But that gain can still really mess you up.  If you normally get up at 5 a.m. then you are likely gonna start rousing at 4 a.m. Ugh! And the evenings get darker earlier, which has already been happening lately.
That “gained” hour can throw your day (or even the following week) off.
This time should be a little easier for me as I don’t have to get up at 5 a.m.
But lately I have been having trouble with my sleep. I finally feel like I have a better routine this past week.
I am sure this will throw my sleep schedule off again and I will have to readjust things. But it’s less stressful since I don’t have to get up so early anymore and feel stressed and anxious about being super tired at work all day.
There are ways to help your body adapt to time change, whether it is an hour (or several hours when traveling over time zones).
I write about the time change when we Spring Forward and when we Fall Back.
My advice to all who need some extra help Monday morning or all next week:

• Don’t go to bed too late Sunday night.
  
• Make sure you have breakfast Sunday and Monday 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.
  
• Drink lots of water Sunday (but also today and always).
  
• Exercise. (I will be teaching a yoga class Sunday late morning. But I plan to do a home yoga practice before I teach.) Even going for a walk will be helpful.
  
• Keep up the exercise throughout the week, especially on Monday. Find that motivation. 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 (doesn’t really for me) maybe cut back Sunday and definitely don’t have it too late in the day.
  
• Don’t drink too much alcohol, especially too late in the day/evening.
  
• Melatonin is a natural hormone found in our bodies. You can buy it over the counter to help with sleep. My doctor advised me at one point to try melatonin to help with my sleep issues. It helps me sleep. But I wouldn’t advise trying it for the first time Sunday night, especially the day before you have to go to work. Talk to your doctor about it. Try it a night before you don’t have to go to work.
  
• Try to start winding your day down an hour before you go to bed. If you normally go to bed around 10, then at 9 make sure you are done for the day and ready for Monday’s workday. I know it is hard for all of us, myself included, but no screen time an hour before bed. Do something relaxing for that hour: read a book, knit, lounge, take a bath. Even practice a Restorative Yoga pose or two. A few poses I like are: Legs Up the Wall; Instant Maui; and Savasana are just a few you can do. Hold these poses for at least 10 minutes each or longer. You can also try Supported Child’s Pose; Supported Twist. These poses can be held for 5-7 minutes. This video shows some poses.
  
  

Happy sleep and awake this coming week!