On Sunday, you’ll notice the loss of an hour of sunlight in the evening as we set the clock back an hour to move from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time.
“The time change in the fall is that one more hit to those of us who live in cloudy western Pennsylvania that winter is coming,” said Dr. Amy Crawfod-Faucher, a primary care physician with Allegheny Health Network.
It’s that time of year, the leaves fall, and suddenly the days are shorter.
Falling back means gaining an hour of sleep, but it doesn’t necessarily feel that way.
“It’s shifted, but it feels like we get less. And that can be an annoyance for most people,” said Crawfor-Faucher.
This time of year, she advises her patients about ways to stabilize their circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is your sleep-wake pattern over the course of a day. The circadian cycle can be disrupted by lack of daylight.
“Honestly it’s seeing the sun, it’s seeing the sun,” said Crawford-Faucher.
Even if it’s cloudy outside, just getting out for five minutes can help.
Crawfod-Faucher advises regulating bedtime, making sure the bedroom is dark and not too warm, watching caffeine, alcohol, junk food and processed food intake, and trying therapy lights in the morning.
As for the time change, some medical groups support replacing Daylight Saving Time with permanent Standard Time.
In Washington last year, the Senate approved a law to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but the House of Representatives never passed it.
So on Sunday at 2 a.m. local time, remember to set your clock back an hour.
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