Autumn is in full swing, and with it comes a few of our favorite things: beautiful fall foliage, strolls through pumpkin patches, and of course cheering for our favorite football teams. This time of year also means a time change: Daylight Saving Time (DST) officially comes to an end on Sunday, November 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Setting your clock back an hour may feel like you’ll gain an hour of sleep\u2014but in reality, very few people get that extra hour. In fact, one review<\/a> found little evidence that people are really getting an extra hour of sleep with the transition. What’s more, the change in schedule can result in a net loss<\/em> of sleep the following week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though the end of Daylight Saving Time is a less obvious sleep disruptor than losing an hour when the clocks advance in the spring, any abrupt change in your sleep schedule can leave you tired, groggy, and feeling out of sorts for several days to a week or more. In fact, people who average less than 7.5 hours a night, as well as early risers, experience the greatest difficulty with time changes in either direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seasonal changes can affect melatonin levels, which play a critical role in sleep patterns. As the days get shorter, many of us spend less time outdoors. The resulting reduced exposure to sunlight can disrupt our melatonin balance, causing an overproduction of the hormone that can lead to decreased energy, mood changes, fatigue, and depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lack of sunlight exposure also means you get less vitamin D. In addition to its role in strong bones and muscles, Vitamin D also affects serotonin production, which is important for our sleep-wake cycles. Serotonin is sometimes referred to as the \u201chappy chemical”; low levels of serotonin are related to feelings of tiredness and depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression brought on by a lack of sunlight. Although SAD is typically associated with winter, the symptoms can begin in the fall. (SAD can also occur in the summer, although less frequently.) Symptoms of SAD<\/a> include low energy, hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness or excessive time spent sleeping), increased appetite, and social withdrawal (you feel like \u201chibernating”).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep problems are often caused or worsened by SAD. Nightmares, struggling to fall asleep, sleeping too much (or too little), and daytime lethargy can accompany SAD. Similar to insomniacs, people with SAD may spend more time resting in bed but not actually sleeping<\/a>. Of note, people who are night owls (or evening chronotypes) appear to be at greater risk for SAD<\/a>. SAD is more commonly diagnosed in women than in men. Younger adults have a higher risk of SAD than older adults, and SAD has been reported in children and teens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAD is often treated with one or a combination of light therapy, medication, psychotherapy, and\/or vitamin D supplementation. If you experience any of the SAD symptoms, discuss them with your healthcare provider. An overview of Seasonal Affective Disorder is available at the National Institute of Mental Health website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Improve your sleep with a new mattrewss<\/p>\n \n Shorter days and less light hurt sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n