Avoid The Daylight Savings Time Hangover: Tools for Employees and Their Families

What time is it, really? But it feels like…?

Daylight Savings Time (DST) impacts everything from sleep, physical health, mental well-being, driving safety, and school performance. Employees and their families are trying to adjust and it’s a good bet they won’t have it all ironed out this week.??

DST affects our internal clocks. We feel more tired, stressed or anxious and this can make underlying mental health challenges worse, not to mention negatively impact productivity and accuracy on the job.?

Now multiply that by two, three, or more and this is what your working parents are experiencing this week as they try to get their cranky children and groggy teens, and maybe their foggy partners all on the spring forward schedule.

Here are tips to help working parents and their families move quickly through the Spring forward transition and develop healthy habits to last all year long:

• Limit screen time before bed. Put away all screens an hour before bedtime (this includes parents too). Blue light tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime.?
• Relax before bedtime. A warm bath, reading a book not on a screen, journaling, and listening to soothing music can all help prepare your brain for sleep. Adults note that alcohol may make you feel relaxed or drowsy but won’t lead to a full night’s sleep.
• Get enough exercise during the day. This helps everyone. Just make sure it isn’t too close to bedtime for kids which can make it hard to unwind. Stretching or yoga can help kids (and their parents) relax before bed.?
• Spend time outside. Natural outdoor light can reset your internal clock. Sunshine strongly affects our circadian rhythm.
• Eat as healthy a diet as you can manage. Cut back on processed foods and sugar. Lean into whole foods.?

For your children – routines, routines, routines.?

Longer daylight times might lull you into thinking you can relax the order of tasks before bed but don’t be fooled. Preparing for bed in a certain order - with kids it might be pajamas, brush teeth, read a book, sing a song, quick kiss and “Have a good night!” Then out the door. Ideally, you started moving these up the week before DST but if not, begin moving them back gradually today. As a parent, find the order of things that works and then stick to them, even on weekends to the best of your ability. Really.? (This may be more challenging than it sounds. Contact us for help if bedtime is an issue for your kids.)?

For your teens – listen and discuss.

Now is a great time to have a conversation with your teen about their sleep habits. Moving the clocks ahead can help teens adopt an earlier bedtime and get more sleep. A 2023 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics indicates that teens increasing sleep can result in better results in school, better behavior, and mental health.?

Start the conversation by asking your teen how they feel in the morning and what they think about their current sleep habits. Listen with care and ask them if they have any ideas about addressing any concerns they have about sleep. After listening with your full attention, share some facts – teens need 8-10 hours of sleep per night for good physical and mental health. And for both kids and adults, one way to know if we are getting enough sleep is whether we can get up in time for work or school without an alarm clock.?

Talk with your teen about your own sleep habits and anything you may need to change in yourself. And even if it feels impossible, confiscate technology an hour before bedtime for both yourself and your teen. It's ok if they are mad at you about this – you might feel a bit cranky yourself about this challenge. We are seeing soaring rates of mental health issues in teens and sleep is a major protective factor related to mood problems. You can do this.?

Finally, be patient. Find as much calm and empathy as you can in dealing with your own big emotions and challenging behaviors as well as those of your kids.?

The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that sleep problems affect 25-50% of children and 40% of teens. And instead of sleeping, working parents use time at the end of the day to catch up on work or take much-needed downtime.?

Sleep deprivation intensifies issues at home and at work. The Harvard Business Review reports that it can lead to less satisfying relationships and cause more conflict with family members at home. At work, sleep deprivation is associated with leaders engaging in more abusive behaviors toward employees and being less effective in their roles as leaders in addition to other issues for all employees with focus and productivity.?

If your working parents are concerned about this issue, contact us to learn best practices from Peace At Home’s sleep expert, Lisa Meltzer , PhD. She is board-certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine by the American Board of Sleep Science.?

Email us at [email protected] to learn more about a wide range of other evidence-based resources to solve parenting challenges from prenatal development to young adulthood. Let’s give your working parents the clarity and confidence to thrive at home and at work.

Helping parents address challenges at home is critical to your company’s success. It's also our mission.?

Let’s Talk.