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Spring Forward With More Energy And Better Mornings

This post is sponsored by NATROL, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is an old-time practice of setting the clocks forward one hour every spring, and back again every fall, to make better use of natural daylight. It’s great to have more sunshine to enjoy later in the days, and have more fun outdoors with our families or to enjoy a beautiful day. The problem is when we “spring forward” in the spring, we lose an hour of sleep, and our internal clocks are often thrown off. It doesn’t look like Daylight Saving Time is going anywhere, so the best thing to do is prepare for the impact of the disruption on our sleep schedules this time of year. I plan to go to sleep early on Saturday night, without any electronics nearby, and take my Natrol Melatonin!

March is Sleep Awareness Month, and because sleep is so important to our long-term health, we need to prioritize it and strive to get a good night’s sleep whenever possible. Better sleep means better focus, better health, better work performance, and a better ability to learn. Falling asleep quickly, staying asleep and enjoying a restful sleep, and waking up without feeling groggy all impact our ability to have a productive, enjoyable day. Here are my favorite sleep hygiene tips to support a good night’s sleep:

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

1. Stop using electronics or watching TV at least an hour before bedtime. Tablets and cell phones are especially disruptive to sleep (blue light can suppress melatonin production) and signal the brain to wake up instead.

2. Cut caffeine at least four hours before bedtime, and even sooner if possible. Ideally, no more caffeine after 12pm noon if you find you have trouble sleeping.

3. Keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature to encourage a restful sleep (I read this is 68o F for most people, but for me it’s 70o F). Kick out

4. Take melatonin to help fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Melatonin is naturally produced in the body to guide our sleep-wake cycle – sort of our body’s biological clock that helps maintain normal sleep-wake patterns. Darkness signals the brain to produce melatonin and prep the body for sleep, and melatonin production continues until the light of sunrise signals the brain to stop. This is why lights on at night, electronic use before bed, stress, dietary changes, or changing our sleep schedules can all disrupt our sleep, and especially that of our children (affecting their ability to concentrate in school!). Falling asleep can be harder, and it may be harder to wake up and feel alert in the morning. Natrol Melatonin supplements are the #1 melatonin brand in America, and the ones I’m using.

Natrol Melatonin is 100% drug-free and non-habit forming. It comes in a variety of strengths and forms including my favorite, Natrol Gummies, which are delicious, and also non-GMO, gelatin-free, vegetarian and contain no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives.

It’s also become recently available for Kids, which is a great help when all the other tricks to get them to sleep don’t work. Natrol Kids Melatonin is available in a gentle 1mg formula in tasty Fast Dissolve and Gummy forms, and is safe and effective for ages four and older. Both are 100% drug-free and free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives. Pediatricians recommend melatonin when the warm milk, cuddly teddy bears, and another bedtime story just aren’t helping your child fall asleep.

More daylight and sunshine is a great thing during our waking hours – especially in the evenings. This means more outdoor fun, evening walks after work, sitting on the patio with friends… just enjoying some more sun later in the evenings. Natrol Melatonin can help establish better sleep patterns for a more restful, relaxing sleep, and in the long run, better overall health and happier mornings too!

†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
*Recommended by The Canadian Paediatric Society.