How to cope with daylight saving

Dr Lora Wu said while daylight saving brings sunny evenings, they turn into restless nights and lost sleep for many people. Photo / Getty Images

If you had trouble getting up for work this morning after losing an hour's sleep at the weekend you're not alone.

Dr Lora Wu, a sleep expert at Massey University's Sleep/Wake Research Centre, said while daylight saving brings sunny evenings, they turn into restless nights and lost sleep for many people.

Even though the amount of sleep lost can seem small it can have a big impact, Dr Wu said.

"Daylight saving challenges your internal timekeeper, the circadian clock. Your circadian clock does not automatically shift with daylight savings, so it can take some time to recover.

"Springing forward is harder than falling back in time. It is easier to fall asleep and wake up later than it is to fall asleep and wake up earlier each day. It will likely be harder for night-owls to adjust, which means it can be tough on teenagers and young adults."

Dr Wu said large international studies show some countries experience a rise in the number of car crashes following daylight saving.

Dr Wu's advice:

• Try to get a lot of natural sunlight exposure when you first wake up in the morning.

• Avoid bright lights in the evening (including light from TVs, computers, and mobile devices).

• Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening.

• Don't use alcohol as a sleep aid.

• Give yourself extra time for travel. A lot of sleepy drivers on the road is never a good thing.

• Bring your bedtime and wake-up times forward by 20 minutes per day for the day before, during, and after daylight saving to give yourself time to adjust.