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    • Get ready for summer time 2024
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    Get ready for summer time 2024

    Kathleen William Posted on

    Daylight saving time is a controversial practice that changes the time shown on the clock to allow for more sunlight in the evening. Given the time change again in autumn, one naturally wonders when exactly summer time ends and when it begins again.

    Daylight saving time – also known as “Daylight Saving Time” by some – began this year on March 10, 2024 and will end on November 3, 2024. As always, it promises to temporarily throw your sleep out of whack as the clocks go back an hour. The good news, according to sleep experts: It's better to switch to daylight saving time than to jump ahead. However, it's understandable that you should be cautious about anything that might affect your sleep.

    The time change “affects us in many ways, both visible and invisible,” says W. Christopher Winter, a neurologist and sleep physician at Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, author and presenter of Sleep unplugged Podcast. Your body works with a timing mechanism called circadian rhythm, which “controls countless processes in our brain,” he explains. “If we move to daylight saving time, our ability to effectively manage these systems will be impacted,” Winter continues. “While Daylight Saving Time eventually feels better as we get used to it, these problems never completely go away when we switch to Daylight Saving Time.”

    That's why the end of daylight saving time is a positive thing for sleep, says Sabra Abbott, a sleep doctor at Northwestern Medicine. “It’s summer time, which is a challenge for us,” she says. “If we go back to standard time, it really brings things back in line.”

    Fallback: Daylight Savings Time

    Unfortunately, there is a pain point with the time change that you have to overcome first. This adjustment usually only takes a few days for people with a regular sleep schedule, says Winter. But for those who are already struggling with sleep problems, such as insomnia, trouble sleeping, or just sleeping too hot, this can make existing problems worse.

    To get through this adjustment period, Winter and Abbott emphasize the importance of sticking to your usual sleep-wake cycle. This means trying to go to bed at the same time, even if it's technically an hour later than usual. Changing your schedule or adding naps “can lengthen the process of adjusting to standard time,” says Winter. He also suggests that you “focus on the morning,” adding, “Give yourself some light and exercise when you wake up.”

    The end of daylight saving time is a natural time to focus on your sleep hygiene, including areas where there is room for improvement. If your sleep isn't what you want it to be and you're interested in trying something different, there are plenty of sleep products that can help. Below, we've listed some of our sleep and mattress team's favorites to help you get the best night's sleep—and prevent further sleep problems.

    Hatch has been a big name in sunrise alarm clocks since 2020, and the brand's Restore 2 is its latest release. It's packed with features that will make your sleep and wake time a dream, which is why it's our overall pick for the best sunrise alarm clocks of 2024. This clock offers 10 tones and a selectable amount of time it takes for it to fully turn on. Controlled via an app, the Hatch Restore 2 delivers 21 white noise tracks, including rain, wind and sea, that you can run for anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours. There is a night routine function that signals when it is time to go to bed.

    Baloo Living Weighted Silk Sleep Stone Mask

    Light can make it difficult to continue sleeping, but a sleep mask can help. Baloo's popular weighted sleep mask is made from 100% mulberry silk for a luxurious feel, making it our top pick for the best sleep masks of 2024. The mask offers an oversized fit and contains small glass beads for a light weight (9 ounces). The sleep mask is adjustable thanks to long Velcro fasteners and has the thoughtful element of an amethyst crystal or rose quartz sewn inside. Choose between pink and gray tones.

    Sun Zero Nordic Theater Quality Blackout Curtains with Eyelets (Pack of 2)

    While the end of daylight saving time means more invigorating light in the morning, that can be problematic if you tend to sleep after sunrise. These blackout curtains from Sun Zero – our overall best black curtains of 2024 – use cinema-quality panels to block 100% of sunlight. They also offer the added benefit of reducing outside noise by up to 45%. Eyelets on the top make it easy to open and close when necessary. Choose from a range of colors and sizes to suit your space and decor.

    A sleep tracker won't necessarily help you achieve better ZZZs, but it can help you stay more informed about what's happening when you're unconscious at night. The Fitbit Sense 2, our top pick for the best sleep trackers of 2024, is packed with sensors to track your heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep quality. This smartwatch presents you with a “sleep score” every night that combines multiple data to let you know how well you slept. There is a sleep profile in the corresponding app that you can use to track your data over a longer period of time.

    Verilux HappyLight Luxe

    The time change results in shorter days, which can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in some people. Light therapy is a common treatment for SAD to replace the sunlight you no longer receive naturally during the day. The Verilux HappyLight Luxe – our top pick for the best overall light therapy lamp of 2024 – is a sleek and portable device that offers four brightness settings and three color temperatures. There is a built-in countdown timer to let you know how long you have been undergoing treatment. This device provides 10,000 lux of light and has a built-in stand so you can place it almost anywhere.

    The Gravity Cooling Weighted Blanket combines cooling technology with a lightweight weight to help you sleep, making it our top pick for the best weighted blanket of 2024. This blanket features a 100% Lyocell outer cover for a silky, cool feel. (The outer cover is removable and washable.) The quilted pockets ensure that the beads stay in place. Choose from six colors and three weights to find the right fit.

    Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow (Classic Queen)

    If your pillow is too low or too high, you won't get far from a comfortable night's sleep. The Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow—our pick for the best overall adjustable pillow for 2024—adjusts easily to help you find the perfect sleeping height. It comes fully filled, with an extra bag of shredded memory foam filling for you to add if needed. The pillow feels plush yet supportive, and both the outer cover and inner lining are machine washable.

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    Kathleen William
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