Bad news for fellow insomniacs; the clocks are set to go forward this weekend (March 30).
The change has been linked to increased sleep disturbances, mood changes, and even added risks for things like stroke (oh, good).
Apparently, however, not all age groups handle the adjustment the same way.
We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how parents should get children into the new swing of things.
And now, Dr Tim Mercer, an insomnia specialist who has paired with Mecca Games to survey sleepers, says that different generations should approach the clocks going forward in their own unique ways.
How should each age group handle the clocks going forward?
After looking at the data from the Mecca survey, Dr Mercer recommended the following advice for Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X:
1) Gen X
“Gen X is reaching a time in their life when sleep becomes an important protector against harmful conditions like diabetes and hypertension,” Dr Mercer says (sleep in midlife seems to be most linked to dementia risk too).
“It protects against stress, depression, and anxiety at a time when life roles are expanding, caring responsibilities increase, and occupational and financial pressures aren’t easing.
“My specific advice to Gen X would be to take great care to minimise the use of alcohol and caffeine around the change of clocks,” he continued.
“Even a small amount of alcohol can disrupt your sleep… Caffeine stops our sleep pressure from building through the day by blocking the action of adenosine.”
The doctor advises people in this age group to “Try to avoid caffeine after midday if you’re hoping to fall asleep before midnight.”
2) Millennials
“On the survey, this group felt strongest that they ‘need a lot of sleep.’ Feeling that you need sleep, at a time of sleep deprivation, is a cognitive risk factor for perpetuating sleep problems,” Dr Mercer told us.
Indeed a condition called “orthosomnia,” which is when people’s obsession with the perfect night’s kip paradoxically keeps them up at night, has been reported by sleep experts.
“We’ve grown up with the internet and searching for answers but the keys to our sleep when the clocks change are in our biological, natural rhythms, and can’t be min-maxed with a walkthrough guide,” the expert said.
“Don’t watch the clock. Don’t go to bed early “because it’s bedtime”. Don’t go to bed ‘because you need eight hours of sleep.’”
Simply get to bed when you’re ready, and try not to fret too much about the clock.
3) Gen Z
“Your biological clock is set slightly later than the other groups and this is clear,” Dr Mercer wrote.
“Gen Z have the highest proportion of survey answers identifying as night owls.”
As a result, he says, members of this age group are “the most disadvantaged on the first morning [after the clock goes forward] – you might have only just fallen asleep when the alarm clock rings!
“However, when the night comes, your sleep pressure will be highest (you haven’t paid off your ‘sleep debt’ the night before),” he added.
“Make sure you listen to your body and identify the cues that your body gives to tell you it’s time to sleep. If you’re forgetting what you went into a room for, you’re rubbing your itchy eyes, yawning, or falling asleep on the couch – that’s a good time to get to bed!”
