By Katie Knapp
Omaha, NE – Daylight Savings Time comes earlier this year. You'll need to turn your clocks ahead an hour before going to bed Saturday night as Daylight Savings Time begins at two AM Sunday. The time change means you'll lose one hour of sleep this weekend. Dr. Michael Summers, Director of The Nebraska Medical Center's Sleep Center, says that can have a profoundly negative effect on an already sleep-deprived nation. He says you can prepare for the transition to Daylight Savings Time by going to bed and getting up 15 minutes earlier. Dr. Summers also suggests taking a short nap on Sunday, so long as that nap isn't taken too close to bed time.
Dr. Daniel Wilson, head of Psychiatry at Creighton University Medical Center, says the loss of an hour of sleep can also affect people psychologically. He says sleep studies have shown that some people sleep more restlessly after Daylight Savings Time begins because it takes the body time to adjust. Dr. Wilson says although most adults will adjust without a problem, those with sleep or mood disorders may find the transition difficult. But he notes there is a positive side to Daylight Savings Time: more sunlight for daily activities.