How to adjust to the end of daylight savings: Sleep expert reveals her 10-step 'bedtime routine' that will help you beat the seasonal slump
- Sleep expert Olivia Arezzolo revealed how to beat the seasonal slump
- She explained how you can best adjust to the end of daylight savings
- Olivia said it's a good time of year to implement a solid 'bedtime routine'
- She said it helps you sleep better and prevents SAD (seasonal affective disorder)
While the extra hour in bed this morning might have been a welcome addition to your weekend, the shorter days and darker nights are often not as positive for your overall mood.
But sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo said there is a way to combat SAD - or seasonal affective disorder - this autumn and winter, and it's all down to how and when you sleep.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Olivia revealed her top tips for beating the seasonal slump and adjusting to the end of daylight savings.
According to the expert, it's all about prioritising a healthy 10-step bedtime routine and getting sunlight when you can.
Sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo (pictured) said there is a way to combat SAD - or seasonal affective disorder - this autumn and winter, and it's all down to how and when you sleep
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'Although the extra hour in bed is favourable for the sleep deprived, studies link the shift to an 11 per cent increase in depression, primarily due to additional darkness,' Olivia (pictured) said
Olivia explained that while you might feel well-rested after the extra hour in bed, this isn't always a good thing.
'Although the extra hour in bed is favourable for the sleep deprived, studies link the shift to an 11 per cent increase in depression, primarily due to the additional darkness,' she told FEMAIL.
Olivia recommends you combat this potential mood change by thinking about your down time and practising her 'recommended bedtime routine'.
'The most important parts of this are that you take care with your bedtime environment and remove any blue light from phones or laptops,' she said.
'You should also try diffusing lavender either onto a pillow or throughout the room to help you relax, and make sure that your bedroom is a place for meditation and relaxation rather than anything else.'
Elsewhere, Olivia said she will normally have a bath or shower around an hour before bedtime.
This is because the 'academic journal Sleep pinpoints approximately 45-60 minutes before sleep, a shower enhances relaxation of your muscles and promotes deep rest'.
'I'll also make sure to sip on a chamomile tea an hour before bed to maximise my rest quality too,' she said.
When it comes to beating the slump, Olivia (pictured) said it's important to get outside and prioritise a healthy 10-step bedtime routine
When it comes to beating the seasonal slump, Olivia said it's important to make sure you're getting enough sunlight, even though the days are shorter.
'Sit near the window at work, go outside during your lunch break and at the weekends. Get into the wilderness,' she said.
The sleep specialist also recommends you 'minimise stress promoting activities such as caffeine after 12pm', as well as late night eating.
'Research emphasises that serotonin - the key hormone responsible for happiness - is responsive to light, so avoiding activities which biochemically exacerbate serotonin loss, like drinking alcohol, is helpful too,' she said.
Elsewhere, Olivia (pictured) also said she will up her stress-reducing activities at this time of the year too - whether that's exercise or meditation
Elsewhere, Olivia also said she will up her stress-reducing activities at this time of the year too - whether that's exercise or meditation.
'It can also be a good idea to ask yourself, what are you looking forward to these chilly winter months?,' she said.
'Ask the question and then take action. Even if it's just that you're excited to spend more time at home drinking tea and planning your next holiday, it always helps when you have something to look forward to.'
'Scientific research highlights that we have a circadian rhythm that operates on a 24-hour clock - our bodies get naturally used to being more awake and more sleepy at certain times,' Olivia (pictured) said
With regard to adjusting to the end of daylight savings, Olivia said you should stick to early nights and be mindful of your bedtime routine.
'Scientific research highlights that we have a circadian rhythm that operates on a 24-hour clock - our bodies get naturally used to being more awake and more sleepy at certain times,' she said.
'Even the adjustment of an hour disrupts our hormone levels, which then feeds into our mood.'
But, she said, if you're feeling a little off this week, it can be helpful to know that within a week 'these effects have normally been warded off'.
'See the change as an opportunity to restore and replenish the body to its best,' Olivia said.
'Frame the shift as a new phase forward for 2019, and a refresh into your goals.'
To find out more about Olivia Arezzolo, you can visit her website here. You can also follow her on Instagram here.
