Daylight saving time ends this Sunday when clocks turn back an hour. Many look forward to that “extra hour” of sleep, but experts say it’s just another disruption.
NBC 5 Responds took a look at health data, broken down by county, to reveal who’s sleeping well in North Texas and who’s not.
Read on for tips to start sleeping better no matter where you live.
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY NUMBERS
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When you crunch the numbers, about a third of American adults tell the CDC they get fewer than seven hours of sleep a night.
In Dallas County, 37.2% of respondents reported not getting enough sleep. In Collin County, 35.4% told the CDC they sleep fewer than seven hours in a 24-hour period. CDC data showed 34.9% of respondents in Ellis County and 36.3% in Kaufman County reported not getting enough sleep.
Tarrant and Rockwall Counties are resting easy with only 33% saying they don’t get enough sleep in Rockwall County and 33.2% in Tarrant County reporting poor sleep.
The CDC’s survey didn’t determine why the answers varied between North Texas counties.
Dr. Neha Gandhi, a neurologist at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, said you can start taking steps to improve your sleep – no matter where you live.
“Sleep is incredibly important,” said Gandhi. “We know that poor sleep can lead to various health conditions, which include mood disorders like depression and anxiety, obesity, diabetes by changing your metabolic rate. It can cause cardiovascular diseases, meaning heart diseases and stroke in some people.”
Gandhi says to take stock of your sleep quality, not just time spent in bed.
“Sometimes people do sleep seven hours, but they have frequent awakenings during the nighttime, so their quality of sleep is not good, and then they don't feel refreshed during the daytime,” Gandhi said.
“I think part of the problem is people don't acknowledge or know that they are sleep deprived,” Gandhi explained.
SLEEP BETTER STEPS
Consider getting on a sleep schedule to improve your sleep quality.
“Bedtime routines are not just for children,” said Terry Cralle, a registered nurse who specializes in sleep at the Better Sleep Council.
Cralle explained you can improve your sleep by waking up and going to bed at the same time every day.
“I have a bedtime alarm. That way, I can stop social media, I can stop researching the latest sleep news that I'm always fascinated to see,” said Cralle.
Dim the lights and spend time relaxing. You can read, stretch or do something you’ll look forward to that doesn’t involve screens or electronics.
Cralle recommends doing the same routine, in the same order each day.
Cralle said she even incorporates a second toothpaste, avoiding a strong peppermint smell and taste, as part of her evening wind-down routine.
“I literally have a different brand of toothpaste that I use at night than I do in the morning,” said Cralle.
“All of these little things can contribute to much better sleep and a much more restful night and feeling great the next day,” Cralle said. “That, after all, is the whole point.”
You’ve likely already heard you need to watch caffeine and alcohol intake.
Additionally, work in exercise during the day. If you feel too tired to exercise, start by incorporating short walks.
“If you're getting enough sleep, diet and exercise will fall into place much easier,” Cralle said.
Finally, Cralle recommends tidying up your bedroom to clear out distractions, keeping it dark and quiet.
If it’s your mind that feels cluttered, Gandhi said set aside some time to put your worries on paper, “Just write everything and then keep it aside in a journal. When you go to bed, do not try to think about those [worries].”
Gandhi said if you continue to struggle, talk to your doctor.
As for the fall time change, Cralle said it’s less disruptive than the start of daylight saving time in the spring. Cralle recommends a set, standard time to improve overall sleep health of Americans.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine agrees. It has called for the elimination of daylight saving time.
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