As we age, switching to and from Daylight Savings Time becomes increasingly difficult. It can be especially tough on seniors, who naturally tend to get less sleep. For seniors who are also sleep-deprived caregivers, time changes can be extremely taxing, leading to increased fatigue or insomnia. The good news is that there are things we can do to to help make this shift a little easier.
Start Changing Your Schedule in Advance
If you start shifting your internal clock a few days before a time change, it will reduce the the overall impact. For example, you can begin moving bedtime 15 minutes later and wake up 15 minutes later, then move to 30 minutes before adjusting the full hour.
Use Timed Feeders for Pets
Pets don’t understand Daylight Savings Time and they will still want to be fed at the same time each day. If you use a timed pet feeder, it will allow you to get up when you choose, meanwhile your pets continue on a consistent schedule.
Take a Nap
Naps are a great way to adjust to a time change and helps ensure that you receive the needed amount of rest each day. The ideal nap length is 20-45 minutes, but up to an hour is okay too.
Use Natural Light Bulbs
When Daylight Savings Time ends, it begins getting dark very early. Make sure that you receive the right amount of natural light during the day by replacing some light bulbs in your home with natural light bulbs. Having enough daylight (and natural light) makes it easier to keep a consistent Circadian rhythm and sleep better at night.
Adapted from carewithlove.com. Visit https://carewithlove.com/tips-to-help-seniors-adjust-to-seasonal-time-changes-home-care/ to read the full article.