Spring forwards with Lumie light therapy on clock-change day

Cambridge-based Lumie promises to put a spring in your step this clock-change using light therapy.

This year clock-change falls on Mothering Sunday on 26th March. While we’ll welcome the onset of Spring and mums their well-earned lie-in, our body clock can lag for a few days as it adjusts to the clocks going forward by an hour. We’ll particularly feel that lost hour’s sleep the following week if we have to get up early for a commute, early shift, school run or training. If you hit the snooze button on Sunday, you will only disrupt your body clock further making the early start on Monday even harder. Instead, the trick is to advance your body clock back by an hour in the run up to clock change.

“When the clocks spring forward our body clock can struggle to adapt to the lost hour. Morning light acts to help our body clock to shift earlier in time, adapting to the change in time, and synchronise the clock to the new sleep/wake schedule. This crucial light signal can be provided both by a light box on awakening and a dawn simulator when light gradually increases during the last part of sleep.”

Dr Victoria Revell, Circadian Rhythm Expert, University of Surrey

This clock-change plan is based on a typical routine of bedtime at 11pm and wake-up at 7am – simply adjust to your own sleep pattern as necessary.

Step 1: Saturday am – get up about half an hour earlier than usual (6.30am). If you’re using Lumie Bodyclock, the gradual sunrise should help to make it less painful!

Step 2: Saturday night – go to bed about 10.30 pm, ideally using the sunset feature on Bodyclock to help you wind down. If you’re using our newest model Bodyclock Luxe (pictured above), you can benefit further from the low-blue light feature which makes the light non-alerting. Imposing an electronics curfew by 9.30pm and/or switching on your devices’ low-blue light function if they have one will also help. The earlier than normal start should mean that you are extra tired and able to sleep earlier than usual. Remember to put your clock forward by an hour!

Step 3: Sunday am – wake up at 6am (BST 7am) and get up straight away (mums excepted!), resisting the urge to snooze.

Getting some light first thing will also help, ideally by going outside for an early walk or run. If your lifestyle makes that impossible, then the next best solution is to use a bright light like Lumie Arabica or Lumie Desklamp; the light signal triggers your brain to stop producing the sleep hormones like melatonin and to increase production of the get up and go ones like cortisol. You can then use a bright light during the day whenever you need a boost in your mood or energy.