As if there weren't enough things that are bad for you -- Daylight Saving Time can be hazardous for your health too.

On average, people go to work or school on the first Monday of Daylight Saving after sleeping 40 fewer minutes than normal. Recent studies have found there's a higher risk of heart attacks, traffic accidents and workplace injuries on the first Monday of Daylight Saving. Maybe we should all just stay home!

"Many people already are chronically sleep-deprived, and Daylight Saving Time can make them even more tired for a few days," said Dr. Nidhi Undevia, medical director of the Sleep Program at Loyola University Health System.

Whether cramming for exams or midterms, task deadlines or projects, there seems to be more and more excuses given for why people are not getting the proper amount of sleep. Not that I can really say "shame, shame" to anyone because I am most likely the worst offender.

The phrase, "Don't drink any caffeine and get some sleep," is the new convo exchange for me these days. Perhaps one day it will actually sink in. Too many things to do, too few hours in the day -- that is what I always say ... 

Undevia offers these tips for coping with the Daylight Saving Time shift:

• In the days before the time change, go to bed and wake up 10 or 15 minutes earlier each day.
• Don't nap on the Saturday before the time change.
• To help reset your internal body clock, expose yourself to sunlight in the morning as early as you can.
  

Loyola has a comprehensive and multidisciplinary program to help identify and treat sleep disorders. The sleep laboratory and sleep clinic diagnose and treat a full range of sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep walking, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, circadian rhythm disorders, restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorders.

I wonder if they have the ability to treat the cause of sleep deprivation for those of us missing out on the Zs due to work or school. Cloning perhaps? Brain dump into a Jolly Green Giant-sized flash drive for a little REM re-formatting? Magic wands ... 

Source: Loyola University Health System 

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