It’s that time of the year! We’re adjusting to a time change. Though it’s nice to gain an hour on a Sunday morning, the change can wreak havoc on our bodies for a few days. This is especially true if you have little ones who really don’t understand the concept of ‘falling back one hour’.

To help adjust as smoothly as possible, here are 3 tips to implement today!

Stick to your schedule. It’s tempting to stay up a little bit later but do your best to stick to your normal eating, sleeping and workout schedule. Physical activity is a great way to help your body adjust! Also, try to get as much sunlight as possible. A walk outside in some bright sunlight would be ideal!
Limit alcohol, caffeine and leftover Halloween candy. I’ve been hearing from so many people this past week about how they’re having trouble sleeping. It finally hit me that a lot of this is probably due to Halloween candy. The sugar and caffeine in the chocolate can impact on our sleep. The mean half life of caffeine in our bodies is about 5 hours (though this can be longer or shorter in some people). For this reason, be mindful of limiting your caffeine to more than 5 hours from your bedtime. Alcohol can also disrupt our sleep as our bodies digest it. For more on why, here’s a great overview
Limit or avoid long naps. Sometimes, there is nothing better or more restorative than a quick nap. But, while we’re adjusting to the time change, try to resist the urge to take a long nap. If you really need one, try to take one earlier in the day and no longer than 20 minutes.

These 3 tips should have you feeling back on track in no time. You may even find that you improve your healthy habits!