Ever wonder why coming back from a relaxing vacation somehow feels so exhausting? It’s because you likely broke out of your regular sleep routine—you stayed awake late into the night, enjoyed sleeping in and got up later than usual. Now that it’s back to your regular day-to-day, your body is having trouble falling asleep. The same may also be true of some holidays and time changes. Keep reading to find out when those times are and how melatonin might help.
In the days leading up to New Year’s Eve, no one even knows what day of the week it is. Kids are off school, enjoying endless free time. Family movie nights last way past bedtime. By the time the new year rolls around and it’s time to head back to school and regular routines, our bodies want to stay up past midnight and sleep in late. It’s OK to have trouble falling asleep as you get back into your routine—the key is slowly getting your sleep hygiene back on track.
The second Sunday in March marks the first day of Daylight Saving Time. At 2:00 AM, we move our clocks forward an hour to 3:00 AM. Yes, that means you “lose” an hour of sleep that night. Because the time springs forward an hour, but your sleep-wake times are expected to stay the same, you may struggle to fall asleep or feel groggy in the morning the first few days after the time change.
All summer breaks must come to an end. Whether your kids spent the summer at camp, lounging at home, or in summer school, a new school year means new teachers, classmates, expectations, and more. It’s a lot to think about, for both parents and kids. Ease your family into the new school year by re-introducing all the best sleep tips and tricks—like getting off technology an hour before bed and slowly making bedtime earlier.
On the first Sunday in November, the clocks fall back an hour back to Standard Time, giving us an extra hour of sleep. The extra hour might feel nice at first—until the sun starts setting before you leave the office to head home. Stick to your good sleep habits—even though the sky gets darker earlier, the blue light coming from smartphones and TVs can still block your brain from sending out the signal that it’s time to go to sleep.
Months of preparation can all come tumbling down if you can’t sleep a wink the night before a big event. Or worse, you have trouble waking up the next day—that’s if you hear your alarm at all. Whether it’s the night before your dream job interview, SAT exam, or wedding, make sure you set yourself up for a good night’s sleep. That means no napping during the day or drinking caffeine at night. You may also consider taking a melatonin supplement.
Melatonin is part of your circadian rhythm, or your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. When your circadian rhythm is working at its best, you’ll feel tired around the same time each night, and wake up around the same time each morning. Good sleep hygiene can help you fall asleep and feel well rested in the morning. That means putting phones away before bed, turning down the thermostat, etc.
But even the best sleep routines are thrown off sometimes, especially when schedules change for back to school or for Daylight Savings—and that’s where melatonin supplements can help.
Good sleep hygiene is important 365 days of the year, at every age. As you mark up your calendar, take note of what special days, events, and time changes are coming up, so you can adjust your sleep schedule to make sure you and the whole family are getting enough sleep to keep you well rested and healthy.
