Turning the clocks back at the end of daylight saving time has been linked to trouble falling and staying asleep, while ongoing sleep loss can take a toll on health.
While some research has suggested that the fall time change could have some cardiovascular benefits, the abrupt loss of evening sunlight can suppress serotonin and melatonin production, which can lead to a depressed mood, according to Dr. John La Puma, a California physician and expert in nature-based medicine.
The body’s internal clock does not automatically follow the clock on the wall, La Puma noted.
"When the clocks change, your body clock is still on the old time," he told Fox News Digital, pointing out some common effects people may notice.
"So, for about a week, you wake up an hour early. You get hungry early. You feel sleepy early. It gets dark by five. Afternoon light goes away. You get months of short days. … You need coffee just to feel human. It's not great."
Making small adjustments to your routine after the time change could help ease the transition, the doctor said.
No. 1: Make small schedule shifts
With clocks turning back overnight Saturday, people can begin moving bedtime, meals and wake-up time later in small increments on Friday, according to La Puma.
"So, you move your day later in small steps," he advised. "You move your bedtime and meals the same 15 minutes each time."
For someone who normally goes to bed at 10 p.m., that could mean 10:15 p.m. Friday and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, before the clocks change. Wake-up times and meals can shift by the same increments as schedules allow.
No. 2: Don't spend the ‘extra hour’ on a late night
Since the time change falls on Halloween, Dr. Saema Tahir, a sleep medicine doctor in New York City, cautioned against staying up late and drinking, operating under the assumption that the extra hour covers it.
"Keep alcohol moderate, finish drinking a few hours before bed and avoid caffeine after early afternoon," she advised.
"Alcohol makes you drowsy at first but breaks up sleep in the second half of the night. Caffeine stays in your system for hours. Together, they can leave you more tired on Sunday than you would be with no time change at all."
No. 3: Get outside at the right time
La Puma also emphasized the importance of being intentional about outdoor exposure.
"You want to get outside at the right minutes, at the time of day and in the right place if you can," he advised, specifically recommending getting outside each afternoon later in the day.
"Late-day daylight is different than morning daylight. Late-day daylight tells your body the day is running long, and it shifts later," he said.
Once you've adjusted to the time change, Tahir recommends getting outdoor light within an hour of waking every day through the winter.
"Light is the strongest signal the body clock gets," she told Fox News Digital. "Evening light pushes it later, which is the direction you need to go for 'fall back.' Morning light keeps it stable over the darker months and supports mood and daytime alertness."
No. 4: Create a wind-down routine
Choosing a relaxing activity that signals bedtime is approaching can help to promote a consistent sleep schedule.
La Puma suggests choosing a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as working in a paper workbook, sipping chamomile tea, taking a bath or using aromatherapy, options he outlines in his book, "Indoor Epidemic."
"Very specific things that tell your brain and body, 'I'm winding down so I can go to sleep.'"
No. 5: Avoid caffeine and screens
Other tips include limiting caffeine after noon and stopping screen time at least an hour before bedtime.
La Puma warned that light from the screen can suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps signal it is time to sleep. Even using night mode may not fully prevent that effect.
No. 6: Keep a consistent schedule after the change
Once the clocks change, it’s important to maintain a regular wake-up time, including on weekends, La Puma said.
"Pick one wake-up time and keep it every day, weekdays and weekends."
"So, sleep and wake times have important effects on heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular mortality," he said.
Anyone experiencing persistent trouble falling or staying asleep, frequent daytime fatigue or sleep loss that interferes with daily activities should contact a healthcare provider, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership with food delivery service Tovala, the biohacker's Blueprint-certified menu now comes straight to your door — no cooking necessary.
Cozido à portuguesa sabe sempre melhor em dias mais frios. É por isso que aos poucos já o começamos a ver em alguns menus de restaurantes. Em Lisboa, por exemplo, há um espaço onde é servido em modo buffet. Pode comer tudo o que quiser e paga 30 euros.
É no Astrolábio, o restaurante do SANA Metropolitan, que está mais uma vez de volta esta típica refeição. Todas as quintas-feiras, aos almoços, pode passar por lá e encher o prato as vezes que bem entender e lhe apetecer.
Por 30€ como todo o cozido que quiser
Quintas-feiras à Portuguesa - Onde a tradição é chef é o nome da iniciativa que nesta altura traz um clássico que aquece o estômago e a alma. Neste buffet vai encontrar uma seleção de carnes, enchidos, legumes e os acompanhamentos habituais.
Depois, pode encher o prato da forma que mais gostar e voltar sempre que lhe apetecer. Na terceira roda até pode só ficar por enchidos e legumes, ao contrário de uma primeira onde as carnes dominaram a seleção que fez.
E não se preocupe com o estacionamento que é garantido no SANA Metropolitan se fizeres reserva para este almoço de quinta-feira. Os 30 euros do buffet são ainda direito a uma seleção de bebidas.
“Seja para um almoço de equipa, um encontro entre amigos ou um momento em família, reúna quem mais gosta e venha desfrutar de uma refeição onde a tradição continua a ser o ingrediente principal”, lê-se no website do hotel. O cozido é servido todas as semanas às quintas-feiras entre as 12h30 e as 15 horas.
O hotel fica na Rua Soeiro Pereira Gomes. As reservas podem ser feitas pelo 938 826 292, mas também pode pedir informações através do e-mail fb.metropolitan@sanahotels.com
O que se come no Astrolábio?
O Astrolábio é o restaurante do hotel SANA Metropolitan. A cozinha é liderada pelo chef Edgar Gomes. É neste espaço que se fazem as principais refeições do alojamento, desde o pequeno-almoço, passando pelo almoço e jantar.
Além dos buffet às quintas-feiras, o menu faz-se com várias propostas da cozinha nacional e de inspiração mediterrânea. Entre algumas das sugestões tem o bacalhau à lagareiro ou então o bife do lombo.
Percorra a galeria para conhecer melhor o restaurante Astrolábio do hotel SANA Metropolitan, em Lisboa.
O The Secret, localizado na Villa Dorothéa, é um dos segredos mais bem guardados de Lisboa. O restaurante, com uma nova carta assinada pelo chef Bruno Tote, oferece uma experiência gastronómica única.
Major U.S. and international airline groups are pushing back against a new Ebola-related travel requirement that will affect millions of people flying into the United States.
Beginning Nov. 3, all passengers on international flights to the U.S. will have to confirm that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The requirement applies to everyone flying into or connecting through the U.S. — including American citizens, green card holders and airline crew members, the CDC said.
Travelers will have to complete a paper or digital statement before boarding, even if they have never visited the DRC.
Airlines must collect the forms and keep them for at least 42 days after the flight arrives in the U.S., according to the CDC.
Airlines for America (A4A), which represents major carriers including American, Delta, Southwest, United and JetBlue, is asking the CDC to reconsider the requirement and give airlines more time to prepare, according to an Oct. 26 letter provided to Fox News Digital.
The group said it supports the CDC's public health goals but argued that the new requirement is too broad and is being introduced too quickly.
A4A asked the government for a "more proportionate and measured U.S. response" focused more closely on affected areas and travelers who have recently been there.
The group also asked for the Nov. 3 start date to be delayed.
"Changes to check-in systems, digital signatures, station procedures and training cannot readily be completed in the allotted time," A4A wrote.
Dr. Tyler Evans, a California-based infectious disease physician and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance, told Fox News Digital, "This was a step in the right direction, given the fact that we really do have to take this seriously. We have to ensure that this does not cross borders."
He added, "This is the second-largest outbreak of Ebola in history. So this is very serious."
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents more than 370 airlines around the world, has also asked the CDC to reconsider the requirement, Reuters reported.
"It is unreasonable for the U.S. government to require all airlines serving the U.S. market to modify their procedures to accommodate the collection of attestations from each individual (passenger and crew) flying to the United States in less than two weeks," IATA wrote in a letter, according to Reuters.
A4A is also asking the CDC to exempt airline crew members, arguing that existing aviation documents already contain information about crews and their travel.
The group has requested an exemption for U.S. military passenger charters as well, saying the military already tracks service members' health, safety and whereabouts.
The 21-day period reflects the maximum amount of time it can take for symptoms to appear after exposure.
Anyone who has been in the DRC during that period, including travelers who only passed through an airport there, will not be allowed to board a U.S.-bound flight unless they have a government exemption, the CDC said.
"Some of the initial symptoms would just be flu-like symptoms. You'll have a high-grade fever, you'll feel sort of fatigued," the doctor said.
"[For] people that ... are asymptomatic, being able to screen is a very effective modality to reduce, to prevent or mitigate further transmission," Evans said.
Evans worked on the Ebola response twice in the past, both in West Africa and in the DRC, the two largest outbreaks in history.
"The reality is Ebola is one of the most infectious and has one of the highest case fatality rates of infectious diseases," Evans said.
But Americans often don't view Ebola as being relevant to them, he said. "When it comes to infectious diseases ... microbes don't sort of respect boundaries."
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