Mothers and fathers fear it because of the imbalance it produces in the little ones, but others will take advantage of it to enjoy having an extra hour of nighttime leisure.

In any case, the change to Winter time It represents an alteration for our body. Because the decrease in sunshine It alters the mood and even the biological clock.

The Dr. Ana Nevesspokesperson for the Lifestyle Medicine unit of FEMM Clinicexplain what:

• “The time change disrupts our circadian rhythms, which are controlled by natural light. It also affects the production of melatonin, so it is normal that after this process the body experiences negative sensations and less energy than usual.”

Negative effects of time change

The wellness specialist explains what are the most common effects that we can experience with the time change:

• Increased feeling of tiredness. This occurs because there is an alteration of melatonin, the hormone that intervenes in the natural sleep cycle. And as the doctor explains: “during times when the day is shorter, our body secretes a greater amount of this hormone, which produces drowsiness effects before time.”
• Altered biological clock. According to Neves, “in most cases, we enter work while it is still night and leave under the same conditions, a fact that alters our biological rhythm. Therefore, we suffer a sensation similar to that of night workers, such as jet lag when we travel to a country with different schedules.
• Cocktail of negative sensations. The decrease in sunlight and the tiredness can cause lack of motivation, irritability, sadness and apathy. “We also have less energy, so it is common for us to generally feel worse the days after the time change,” says Dr. Neves.

What to do to reduce the effects of time change?

The good news is that these negative effects only last a few days. Despite this, the specialist comments that it is advisable to prepare our body so that the change is not so drastic.

• Progressive change. Since there are still a few days left, the doctor proposes “Delaying bedtime by ten or fifteen minutes can help make the change less abrupt. for the organism. “This way the crash will be more bearable.”
• Tips to avoid losing sleep. In the days after the time change, the doctor recommends avoiding caffeine in the afternoon, not eating heavy meals before resting, and taking naps of less than twenty minutes during the day. All of these tips can help make your night’s rest easier.
• Sun exposure. This helps the body stay active and stop drowsiness.

“A walk during midday is a great ally when it comes to keeping the body alert,” says Ana Neves.

• Healthy life style. Both the physical activity like a balanced diet prevent sleep cycles they get upset. Dr. Neves adds that it is important to maintain meal times that do not affect our rest.

“You can also incorporate certain foods rich in tryptophan, an amino acid necessary to secrete melatonin, into your nighttime menu. Some examples are dark chocolate, banana and eggs.”