Daylight Saving Time ended November third. Making the adjustment to the time change can leave your body craving sleep. Just because our clocks show it’s 6 a.m., our bodies still think it’s 7 a.m. Likewise, you may see that it’s 9 p.m., but your brain thinks it’s 10 p.m. That means going to sleep an hour later than what your body is used to.

Food cravings also increase as the system is thrown out of balance. If you’d normally be hungry at 7 p.m. now you’re hungry at 6 p.m. As you stay up later to go to bed at the normal time, your body is likely to demand more food, and that can lead to a shift in food and drink consumption.

The side effects of these two cravings can be problematic. Here are a few things to look out for:

Sleep Craving Side Effects

1. An increase in headaches
2. Daytime drowsiness
3. Insomnia
4. Tossing and turning
5. Waking up fatigued
6. Increase or decrease in appetite

Food Craving Side Effects (depends on what / how much / how close to bedtime you eat or drink)

1. Increase in nightmares
2. Weight gain
3. Increased gassiness
4. Increased restroom breaks
5. Insomnia
6. Feeling bloated
7. Stomach aches

The best remedy is to plan and make the shift gradually, but when life doesn’t allow for that, the next best thing is to find a routine and stick with it. Most of the sleep craving side effects go away after a week or two on a consistent routine. Avoiding food or drink before bed can counteract the food craving side effects, giving more immediate relief. If that doesn’t work, then shifting your old eating schedule to the new one can help.

And if a new mattress is what you’re after, then remember: Quit Counting Sheep…Sleep with a Wolf!