Sunday, we'll have to "spring forward" by setting our clocks ahead one hour for daylight saving time. For many of us, resetting our clocks is a simple matter. But for those who struggle with insomnia, daylight saving time can add to the difficulty of getting enough sleep, says Charlene E. Gamaldo, assistant professor in the department of neurology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and assistant director of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center.
Many of us have trouble falling asleep every now and then. When does having difficulty sleeping become defined as insomnia?
Insomnia is an umbrella term used to describe a syndrome or complex that occurs when an individual has trouble with initiating sleep and/or maintaining sleep and with that has problems functioning in the daytime.
There are 30 types or reasons for insomnia that can range from a primary sleep problem, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, to secondary reasons, such as anxiety, depression, pain or other medical problems or medications.
What are the most common causes of insomnia?
When looking for causes of insomnia, we would probably look to secondary causes like medications or other medical conditions before considering primary causes of insomnia due to sleep disorders.
How might daylight saving time affect those with insomnia?
Our bodies need certain cues that help the brain know when it is time to be asleep or awake. For example, receptors in the eye receive light and send triggers to your brain that it is time for sleep or time to be awake.
If you are getting daylight exposure later in the day, your brain will receive the trigger that it is time to sleep later, and that may make it more difficult [for some] to fall asleep.
How is insomnia -- and the causes for it -- diagnosed?
You basically would need a thorough evaluation. The sleep expert or doctor would work with you to draw up a step-by-step evaluation of how you prepare to go to bed, what the sleep environment is like and all the things that make the setting more or less conducive to sleep.
What steps should we take to set the scene, so to speak, for good sleep?
You always want to prime your body to get the optimal amount of good sleep. Begin by giving the body good cues in the morning with sun exposure, physical activity. These things are engaging and send the brain the clues that you are supposed to be awake. Get up at a standard time (that stays the same within 30 minutes).
