Daylight Saving Time's impact on your physical and mental health

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Daylight Saving Time ends soon and that extra hour of sleep may sound like exactly what your body needs to reset. But the reality is, that one hour could take a full month to adjust to.

DR. Manjeshwar Prabhu, the Medical Director for HSHS Pulmonary and Sleep Outpatient Services, says people underestimate how much the sun impacts sleep and mood.

"The biggest feature of the time change really is sleep disturbance," said Dr. Prabhu. "Sleep is very important for our emotional, physical and mental health, and when we don't get the right amount of sleep or we don't get to sleep at the correct time, that's very disruptive to our internal hormones and to our internal chemicals and schedules."

Many people struggle to adjust their sleep schedules for a few weeks after the clocks change. But the time shift can cause issues for mental health as well.

"When we are exposed less to light, our brains don't develop the neurotransmitter dopamine as much as they would with prolonged exposure to light," said Chelsea Mueller, Senior Clinical Director at Heritage Behavioral Health. "When we don't have as much dopamine in our brain, we start to feel, the onset of those shifts in depression."

Mueller said it is common for people to see a decline in their mental health after the time changes. But if depressive symptoms like restlessness, lack of motivation, and a poor appetite, continue for more than 3 weeks, it's best to talk to your doctor.

There are steps you can take to make the transition to more darkness easier. Dr. Prabhu recommends trying to get outside and into the sun during your lunch break and making sure your blinds are open during the day. Setting a consistent sleep routine can make it easier to combat any difficulties sleeping. You can also adjust your diet to consume more Vitamin D.

"Eating healthy, especially with vitamin D rich foods like eggs, dairy, salmon, dark green leafy vegetables, walnuts, all those things can boost your vitamin D supplementation and help you get through," said Dr. Nicole Florence, Medical Director of Memorial Wellness Center. "Movement, activity, exercise, all of those cornerstones of health and wellness that we promote during the year, are even more important during this daylight savings time in winter."