Get More Sleep This Weekend!

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

For those of you who skimp on sleep because of “too much to do,” this weekend is meant for you. It’s the end of daylight savings time, and we turn our clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday morning. It’s time to “fall back” and gain an extra hour!

While you might be tempted to pack more activity into this extra hour, how about using that time for an extra hour of sleep? Many people tell me they can’t make the time to sleep 7-8 hours every night. With our busy lives, sleep is often at the bottom of the “to do” list.

Lack of adequate sleep is increasingly becoming a risk factor for our long term health. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with weight gain, hormonal shifts, mood changes, and lack of work productivity.

One extra hour won’t make up for weeks and months of inadequate sleep, but it’s a start. It’s a big step for increasing personal mindfulness of your own sleep schedule.

Pleasant dreams!