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topicnews · October 25, 2024

Summer schedule 2024

Summer schedule 2024

Daylight Saving Time is coming to an end again this November, meaning most Americans will have to set their clocks back an hour that night. Daylight saving time (as it is commonly called) is a controversial practice that changes the time you see on the clock to allow for more sunlight in the evening. With the time change coming up again this fall in 2024, it’s natural to wonder when exactly daylight saving time ends, when the clocks will change – and how can I prepare for it?

Daylight saving time began this year on March 10, 2024 and will end on November 3, 2024. As always, it promises to temporarily throw your sleep out of whack as the clocks go back an hour. The good news, according to sleep experts: It’s better to switch to daylight saving time than to jump ahead. However, it’s understandable that you should be cautious about anything that might affect your sleep.

The time change “affects us in many ways, both visible and invisible,” says W. Christopher Winter, a neurologist and sleep physician at Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, author and presenter of Sleep unplugged Podcast. Your body works with a timing mechanism called circadian rhythm, which “controls countless processes in our brain,” he explains. “If we move to daylight saving time, our ability to effectively manage these systems will be impacted,” Winter continues. “While Daylight Saving Time eventually feels better as we get used to it, these problems never completely go away when we switch to Daylight Saving Time.”

That’s why the end of daylight saving time is a positive thing for sleep, says Sabra Abbott, a sleep doctor at Northwestern Medicine. “It’s summer time, which is a challenge for us,” she says. “If we go back to standard time, it really brings things back in line.”

Fallback: Daylight Savings Time

Unfortunately, there is a pain point with the time change that you have to overcome first. This adjustment usually only takes a few days for people with a regular sleep schedule, says Winter. But for those who already have problems with sleep, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, or even sleeping too hot, it can make existing problems worse.

To get through this adjustment period, Winter and Abbott emphasize the importance of sticking to your usual sleep-wake cycle. This means trying to go to bed at the same time, even if it’s technically an hour later than usual. Changing your schedule or adding naps “can lengthen the process of adjusting to standard time,” says Winter. He also suggests that you “focus on the morning,” adding, “Give yourself some light and exercise when you wake up.”

The end of daylight saving time is a natural time to focus on your sleep hygiene, including areas where there is room for improvement. If your sleep isn’t what you want it to be and you’re interested in trying something different, there are plenty of sleep products that can help. Below, we’ve listed some of our sleep and mattress team’s favorites to help you get the best night’s sleep – and avoid even more sleep problems with the time change.

Hatch has been a big name in sunrise alarm clocks since 2020, and the brand’s Restore 2 is its latest release. It’s packed with features that will make your sleep and wake time a dream, which is why it’s our overall pick for the best sunrise alarm clocks of 2024. This clock offers 10 tones and a selectable amount of time it takes for it to fully turn on. Controlled via an app, the Hatch Restore 2 delivers 21 white noise tracks, including rain, wind and sea, that you can run for anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours. There is a night routine function that signals when it is time to go to bed.

Verilux HappyLight Luxe

The time change means shorter days, which can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for some of us. Light therapy is a common treatment for SAD to replace the sunlight you no longer receive naturally during the day. The Verilux HappyLight Luxe – our top pick for the best overall light therapy lamp of 2024 – is a sleek and portable device that offers four brightness settings and three color temperatures. There is a built-in countdown timer to let you know how long you have been undergoing treatment. This device provides 10,000 lux of light and has a built-in stand so you can place it almost anywhere.

Sun Zero Nordic Theater Quality Blackout Curtains with Eyelets (Pack of 2)

While the end of daylight saving time means more invigorating light in the morning, that can be problematic if you tend to sleep after sunrise. These blackout curtains from Sun Zero – our overall best black curtains of 2024 – use cinema-quality panels to block 100% of sunlight. They also offer the added benefit of reducing outside noise by up to 45%. Eyelets on the top make it easy to open and close when necessary. Choose from a range of colors and sizes to suit your space and decor.

Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow (Classic Queen)

If the pillow is too low or too high, you won’t get much of a comfortable night’s sleep. The Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow—our pick for the best overall adjustable pillow for 2024—adjusts easily to help you find the perfect sleeping height. It comes fully filled, with an extra bag of shredded memory foam filling for you to add if needed. The pillow feels plush yet supportive, and both the outer cover and inner lining are machine washable.

Baloo Living Weighted Silk Sleep Stone Mask

Light can make it difficult to continue sleeping, but a sleep mask can help. Baloo’s popular weighted sleep mask is made from 100% mulberry silk for a luxurious feel, making it our top pick for the best sleep masks of 2024. The mask has an oversized fit and contains small glass beads for a light weight (9 ounces). The sleep mask is adjustable thanks to long Velcro fasteners and has the thoughtful element of an amethyst crystal or rose quartz sewn inside. Choose between pink and gray tones.

A sleep tracker won’t necessarily help you get better ZZZs, but it can help you stay more informed about what’s happening when you’re unconscious at night. The Fitbit Sense 2, our top pick for the best sleep trackers of 2024, is packed with sensors to track your heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep quality. This smartwatch presents you with a “sleep score” every night that combines multiple data to let you know how well you slept. There is a sleep profile in the corresponding app that you can use to track your data over a longer period of time.

Weighted blanket with gravity cooling

The Gravity Cooling Weighted Blanket combines cooling technology with a lightweight weight to help you sleep, making it our top pick for the best weighted blanket of 2024. This blanket features a 100% Lyocell outer cover for a silky, cool feel. (The outer cover is removable and washable.) The quilted pockets ensure that the beads stay in place. Choose from six colors and three weights to find the right fit.

Yogasleep Dohm classic sound machine with white noise

While the Hatch Restore also offers white noise among all of its other smart features, making it our top choice for white noise devices, sometimes you just want something extra simple and straightforward. This Yogasleep Dohm sound machine is a classic for a reason. Simply flip the switch to turn it on, then rotate the top cap to set the right sleep sound for you and your family.

Loop Quiet 2 earplugs

Sleep deeper by blocking out noisy neighbors or a snoring partner with some of our favorite earplugs. The Loop Quiet 2 earplugs offer a gentle and reusable silicone design so you can use them every night if necessary. I also appreciate that there are four sizes of ear tips, so you can find the right fit straight away.

The just-released Oura Ring update delivers a thinner smart ring with an improved battery. The previous generation is our pick for Ring sleep trackers because of the depth of data it delivers and its slim design that makes it comfortable to wear all night long. The Oura Ring shows you how much and how deeply you sleep, alerts you to any disturbances that may be occurring, and tracks daily fitness, heart rate, fertility cycles, and more. Save $50 by opting for the third-generation Oura Ring, on sale with the launch of the new launch.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When does time change?

Daylight saving time begins on March 10, 2024 and ends this year on November 3, 2024. You must set your clocks back one hour in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, at 2 a.m. Next spring, the time on your clocks will change again when we move them forward one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

When does daylight saving time return?

On November 3rd, the first Sunday in November, the clock will officially go back one hour at 2 a.m. Daylight saving time begins again on March 9, 2025.

Which states are abolishing daylight saving time?

Arizona and Hawaii do not follow daylight saving time. Arizona residents reportedly prefer a consistent schedule, and Hawaii is so close to the equator that changing clocks has no real impact on daylight hours.

Will daylight saving time be abolished in the USA?

No, not currently. Federal legislation was passed to make daylight saving time permanent, but it never became law. The last one was Sunshine Protection Act stalled in 2023.

Daylight saving time has been controversial for years. “Daylight saving time should be abolished and we should stay on standard time indefinitely because it is the healthier situation for our bodies,” says Winter. Abbott agrees. “I would like to see us switch to standard time permanently,” she says.

How can I help children adjust to daylight saving time?

Abbott and Winter suggest encouraging children to stick to their usual bedtime. “Do something active in brighter light,” says Winter. “Use television if that helps. Keeping them from going to sleep early helps prevent them from waking up early the next day.”

If you can get them to bed at their usual time – which is technically an hour later than before – they should get up on time or reasonably close to time. “If you wake them up at 6 a.m., it will feel like 7 a.m. to them,” Abbott says. “There will be sunlight on your side in the morning. Maybe they’re just more moody in the evening because they’re tired.”

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