Here’s Why Mainers May Feel A Bit Funky After the Upcoming Time Change

If the Time shift makes you feel extra tired, you have science is on your side.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, we switch our clocks back, and you'll be trying to convince yourself that moving the clock back one hour has not actually wreaked complete havoc on your system. The fact of the matter is, there is science that supports the idea that you may actually be feeling a bit rugged after the switch.

My wife usually complains about the after-effects for days, and I usually give her a pile of crap for it. But according to an article from NBCNews.com, there may be some actual validity to the whole concept.

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So why do we feel all messed up for a few days afterward?

Chris Winter, M.D., author of The Sleep Solution says you may just be feeling supremely funky, and not in the fun James Brown kinda way.

Sleep is a kind of outward symbol of the timing processes of our body. Our bodies function on an internal schedule, from hormone release to body temperature to cognition – and sleep is linked to them all.

The four biggest factors linked to seasonal time change, are fairly obvious. They all fall right in line with most kinds of sleep deprivation. They are:

• Appetite
• Mood
• Accidents
• "Spring Forward" can even be linked to heart attack/stroke

You can take some steps to adjust.

Your body develops all sorts of internal rhythms based on its own internal clock. When we adjust the real clock, it throws off the sync that our body has with real-time. So if your hormones change, you eat differently, you sleep differently, etc. And because of the change, you may be groggy and not nearly as attentive for a few days after.

Try doing some of these things to combat the effects. Maybe come spring, you'll be ready for battle with your body.

• Get as much light as possible when you wake up
• Exercise in the morning
• Go to bed at your typical time Saturday night before the clocks change
• Lay off the caffeine
• Avoid napping, it'll just make it harder to sleep later

It's always tough feeling like you have jet lag or something. And really, that's kind of what it is. But, this too shall pass. You'll feel right as rain in no time, and can get right back to complaining about how dark it is at 4:00 pm.

Go on a little vacation... that may help you get rid of the sleepy cobwebs...