If you are still feeling groggy when you wake up in the morning, you might blame it on Daylight Saving Time.
But seeing as that was more than two weeks ago, bottom line is you're probably not getting enough sleep, say local experts.
It can take some people up to a week to adjust to Daylight Saving Time but we are generally not getting enough sleep, says Margot Byer, an Edmonton area pediatric sleep coach with Sleephaven Sleep Consultation.
Insufficient sleep has been recognized by the World Health Organization as an international public health epidemic.
Lack of sleep has been linked to motor vehicle crashes, industrial disasters and occupational errors. It has been shown to inhibit memory, concentration, productivity and increase the likelihood of development of chronic disease.
"It really impacts us on all fronts," explains Byer. If kids aren't getting enough daytime sleep, their sleep at night will be fragmented.
"They will wake up more often during the night and they won't sleep as deeply. Right off the bat the quality of sleep is impacted," she says. Children will have a higher incidence of nightmares and sleep terrors as they have trouble moving from one sleep stage to the next.
Sleep quality also decreases for adults who are overtired and have missed the "sweet spot" of sleep – a point at which they are ready to turn in for the night but arousing hormones in the brain keep them awake, explains Byer.
Sleep deprivation can result in sleep walking or sleep talking, but for most adults they will wake up feeling tired, not well rested like they should.
Byer, an occupational therapist of 30 years, says people can improve their sleep by adopting certain routines and skills that are similar to strategies parents teach their children about getting a good night's rest.
Sleep hygiene
"The basic premises are the same," says Byer, in terms of settling a child down for a nap and an adult getting some shuteye.
She recommends setting up a dark sleep space, as light levels trigger the body's production of the hormone melatonin. Also make sure the room is cool because "our bodies naturally go through a temperature dip as we sleep."
Heather Plante, a certified sleep consultant and owner of Soothing Angels says her number one rule is to turn off electronics – TV, computers and phones – one hour before bed. Blue wavelengths from light emitted by artificial light sources such as electronic devices inhibit melatonin production.
"Create a relaxed routine before bedtime for the kids so they have that transition from play time to sleep time and they have bonding time with Mom and Dad," she says.
End the day with positive interactions, adds Byer.
"We're such a go, go, go society that we're missing those opportunities to build what I call 'I love you' rituals where we sit and talk about the day, read stories together and connect on an emotional level."
The concept is similar for adults, both sleep coaches say.
Byer says compared to sleep issues in children, problems adults have when hitting the sack often stem from a psychological component such as bringing work home, stresses and conflicts from the day.
Writing in a journal before bed can help.
"It gives them a place to put those pieces on a shelf, so to speak, so they're not having to use their sleep to do all that problem solving. It allows them to go into sleep in a more rested state," she says.
Like getting a child ready for bed, it's important to establish a routine for yourself, says Plante.
"You have your own routine – shower before bed or read a book before bed – you're following your own cues so you know when you body is feeling sleepy. You get the best quality sleep if you sleep according to your own internal clock."
Plante says to also keep note of the natural time the body wants to go to sleep – the "sleep window."
It is recommended that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.
