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Raminta Liebienė, GP at the MediCA Clinic in Klaipėda, tells us about who changes over time have the greatest impact and how to prepare for them properly so that we do not feel too much discomfort.
According to the doctor, changing the time has a negative impact on many people, but studies show that people over 60 years of age suffer the most. These individuals often have chronic comorbidities and often suffer from insomnia disorders, which are aggravated by the change in summer / winter time.
Men and people with mental illness, depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia, or chronic somatic illnesses (diabetes, cancer, arthritis, heart defects, HIV, etc.) are also more likely to experience negative feelings.
Children and young people also feel the negative effects of the time change. The number of head injuries and other injuries, accidents and various injuries was found to increase significantly on the day after the time change for people aged 11-20 years.
“Turning the clocks affects the established sleep routine of children, the mode, unbalances the rhythm of the day, reduces the number of hours of sleep. However, the adaptation of the body of children and young people is much faster, so the impact on health is less than on the elderly ”, says R. Liebienė.
Why do we feel bad?
According to the doctor, each person has an individual circadian rhythm, otherwise a biological clock, which regulates the circadian rhythm and regulates the phases of sleep. When it changes, we are forced to get up at another time, they wake us up in the sleep phase in which we were used to waking up. For example, when an alarm sounds while we are in a deep sleep phase, it becomes difficult to wake up, feel bad, not asleep.
“Psychological and sleep disorders usually occur after a change in weather. People who are used to going to bed for a certain time, cannot fall asleep at other times, wake up tired in the morning, and become irritable during the day. , lack energy, find it difficult to concentrate. During sleep, the human body produces melatonin, which is responsible for circadian rhythms, as well as the happiness hormone serotonin, in the absence of which depression can cause or exacerbate emotional consent ”Says the GP.
According to the interlocutor, the metabolism of the hormone ghrelin is also related to sleep. This hormone is responsible for appetite, which is why lack of sleep increases hunger. If this situation persists for a long period, often a person who does not sleep can gain weight or even become obese.
According to research, changes over time also significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: the risk of myocardial infarction increases and the risk of stroke increases by up to 8%. Time change as a short-term stressor has also been found to affect the immune system, can cause gastrointestinal disorders, non-infectious colitis, exacerbations of enteritis.
“However, the time change in spring, when the bright period of the day lengthens, can also have a positive effect on health: we can spend more time outdoors, enjoy the sun, produce more vitamin D in the body and it is also responsible for good mood, energy, cardiovascular risk, “says R. Liebienė.
How to adapt more easily to changes over time?
The GP points out that it usually takes most people about a week to adjust to the time change: for children who can adapt quickly to the change, this can take days, but for the elderly, difficulties to sometimes they last for weeks.
For those who do not want to feel the effect of time reversal or feel it as little as possible, R. Liebienė advises going to sleep for 10 to 20 minutes a week or at least a few days before reversing the clocks. sooner or later, depending on whether it is the transition to summer or winter time. This will gradually get the body used to the new weather.
“Sleep hygiene is always important: at night it is advisable not to eat a lot, not to drink caffeinated drinks, at least 30 minutes. be without television or telephone screens, preferably in silence. It is always important to try to fall asleep at the same time, to maintain the daily routine: exercise, eat on time, because then the body will not be under great stress even with the time changes. Well, of course, as much as possible to be outdoors, in the sun, to increase physical activity, then at night we will feel tired sooner and we will fall asleep successfully ”, the doctor is convinced.
Kindergarten and school parents who want to prepare their offspring for schedule changes, the doctor advises not to worry and not to transmit their tension to the little ones.
“Children are very sorry, so it is important for parents to feel good and rest. Children always need a sleep regimen, rules, even rituals every night, which, performed before bedtime, calm and prepare for sleep. Every father and mother is the one who knows their child best, therefore, if the child usually has problems getting to school, I would recommend following the above advice and a little earlier or delaying the time to get up a week before the time change ”R. Liebienė says in a press release.
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