Tips to get better sleep before spring-ing forward next month

SEATTLE (KOMO) — It may not feel like it right now, but it's almost time to spring forward.

Daylight saving time begins Sunday March 12, 2023, and we’ll all set our clocks ahead one hour losing that precious hour of slumber.

Washington state lawmakers approved legislation in 2019 that would have allowed the state to shift to permanent daylight saving time and the U.S. senate approved a national shift in November – the Sunshine Protection Act – but the measure needs further action at the federal level. It has yet to be taken up by the House and is therefore far from landing on President Joe Biden's desk for a signature.

That means for now, clocks need to change yet again. KOMO spoke with brain health expert, Dr. Marc Milstein, to discuss the impact of the time shifts on physical and mental health.

Milstein said sleep, in particular, is perhaps the greatest ally in the fight to preserve our brain and is crucial to our brain health.

Just like a house or apartment that’s built up with too much waste or garbage or trash, it’s hard to focus, it’s hard to find things. Same thing with the brain,” said Milstein. “When you go to bed at night your brain actually shrinks down. It squeezes it into the empty space because it's now a little bit smaller at certain parts of the night while you’re sleeping and then fluid comes up from your spinal cord and washes this trash away.

Milstein said there are several things we can do to help our bodies adjust to daylight saving including exposure to daylight – 10 minutes in the morning.

“The brain is a clock. It notices that light and helps shut off melatonin which helps your brain wake up,” said Milstein.

He recommended several steps to take a more restful night.

Sleep medications shouldn’t be your first line of defense: Milstein said these sleep aids put the brain in a trance-like state that is different from effective deep sleep. It’s also best to lay off melatonin supplements unless your personal physician recommended them.

Ten minutes in the morning helps you sleep better at night: Milstein said your brain has a countdown timer that needs to be set each day to fall asleep. You start the countdown by getting outside in the presence of natural light for about 10 minutes within about a half hour of waking up.

What you can do 90 minutes before bed: Milstein said take a warm shower or bath 90 minutes to two hours before you get into bed. This can help you fall asleep faster, as well as get a more restful and effective night’s sleep.

Power down smartly: Milstein said try 15 minutes of mindfulness or relaxing activities like light stretching, listening to music, journaling, making that to-do list or list of worries, or reading a book instead.

Create a sunset in your bedroom: Milstein said turn off the TV and lower the lights a half hour before you want to fall asleep. And if you’re going to read, don’t do it on an electronic device.

Hydrate at the right time: Milstein said if you wake up frequently to go to the bathroom, stop consuming fluids about two hours before bed and consider hydrating throughout the day

Sleep in true darkness: Milstein said unplug charging cell phones, night lights, or light from a television, streaming device, or computer or move them to another room. These devices can keep your brain from reaching the deepest, brain-boosting levels of sleep.