If you have felt a little drowsy over the past couple of days you probably are not alone.
The hour of sleep lost with the time change on Sunday can have a temporary effect on the body's circadian clock, or circadian rhythm. As a result, you may not feel as mentally sharp, workouts or physical labor may become more challenging, and the body may experience an overall lack of energy.
Officials at the Lima Memorial Sleep Lab say although the effects are tiresome, they are generally short-lived. Director of the Sleep Lab, Dr. Lou Tartaglia says, "The circadian clock is set by sky blue light ... That sky blue light hits the cells in the retina that sends a signal to the brain that this is when your day should start." So, when we move the clocks forward, our bodies response is not only a drowsiness from a lost hour of sleep, but also the difference in the timing of blue light throughout our day.
The key to getting you circadian rhythm back in sync is to go to sleep at the same time for about a week, or until your body adjusts.
