Contrary to popular belief, eight hours of sleep is not the sufficient amount of sleep everyone should be getting each night. According to the National Sleep Foundation recommended sleep times are influenced by the individual’s developmental age. The National Sleep Foundation also shares how our waking moods are highly influenced by what happens during our sleep. During sleep our body supports brain and physical health, as well as growth and development in children and teens.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH) comments on the importance of sleep stating, “Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.” According to the NIH chronic sleep deprivation can raise the risk for certain health problems.

Leap into spring as we welcome daylight savings time! Forwarding our clocks entails little efforts; yet transitioning to a new time schedule may require a period of adjustment. Can a change in time influence our work performance and other areas of life? We each have an internal clock known as the circadian rhythm that influences our sleep-wake cycle. Our circadian rhythm determines the time of the day when we are most alert and active, and times when we are more tired and sleepy. The National Institute of General Medical Services (NIGMS) notes, “Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions. They have been linked to various sleep disorders, such as insomnia.” There are ways of adjusting to the change in time to prevent abrupt disturbances in our internal biological clocks. Below are some tips on how to transition our internal clocks as we spring into daylight savings time.