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    ‘Sleep Staggering’ Could Prevent 3AM Wake-Ups This Winter

    AnyFans Posted on

    By Amy Glover

    Copyright huffingtonpost

    'Sleep Staggering' Could Prevent 3AM Wake-Ups This Winter

    As if autumn wasn’t exhausting enough already, it seems more tiring times lie ahead.

    When the clocks go back, which is set to happen on 26 October, your Circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) can get knocked off. This means that most people don’t actually “gain” an hour of sleep after the change, Harvard Health explained.

    In this period, “many people wake up earlier, have more trouble falling asleep, and are more likely to wake up during the night,” they shared.

    “People who tend to be so-called short sleepers, logging under 7.5 hours a night, and early risers (also known as larks), have the most trouble adjusting to the new schedule.”

    This is why sleep expert Alison Jones from Sealy UK recommends we start “sleep staggering” now.

    What is “sleep staggering”?

    “One of the worst things you can do when the clocks go back is to ignore your sleep schedule and expect your body to instantly adjust,” Jones said.

    “Don’t assume you can just sleep in or go to bed at your normal time, without consequences when the clocks go back.”

    Going in “cold” to clock changes is linked to a minimum of seven days’ worse sleep, a 2012 paper found. It read: “adjustment to daylight saving time is neither immediate nor without consequence”.

    So Jones’ suggestion is that we begin slowly changing our bedtime now.

    “Gradual adjustments are key to keeping your body clock in sync,” she stated.

    “By shifting your bedtime by just 10–15 minutes earlier each night in the days leading up to the clock change, you can help your body naturally adapt to the new time without the shock of a sudden shift.”

    It can be hard to recover from an off-kilter body clock, she added.

    When should I begin “sleep staggering”?

    The sooner, the better this month.

    We have just over four weeks left ’til the clocks change. If you try “sleep staggering” by 15 minutes a week, you’ll be perfectly attuned to the hour-long difference by the time it arrives.

    That could mean going to bed about two-and-a-half minutes later a day until then, or trying five-minute blocks every, say, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

    “More than 22% of people report struggling to get back to sleep if they wake up during the night, and the disorientation caused by an abrupt time shift can make this even worse,” Jones said.

    Luckily, avoiding those 3am wakeups in the future can take a matter of minutes now.

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