Our clocks moved one hour back when daylight time ended early Sunday, an annual rite many of us see as a fall gift worth celebrating with an extra hour of sleep.
But those people likely aren't parents or insomniacs, who know more than most that even a one-hour change in schedule can make a notable difference when it comes to getting a solid rest.
"We wouldn't think that one hour would make a difference," Peterborough, Ont. parenting author Ann Douglas told CTVNews.ca. "But it absolutely does, especially for kids."
The author of "The Mother of All Parenting Books" and numerous other texts on pregnancy and raising children, Douglas says parents can expect kids to have a hard time adjusting to the time change, which can lead to sleeplessness, crankiness and general unpleasant behaviour.
"You can't just expect a young toddler to know you've changed the clock," she said in a phone interview. "Most teachers tell me it takes kids a week or two to get used to the time change, and until then, kids are cranky, hungry, and generally out of sorts."
She suggests avoiding the hunger and crankiness by keeping a fairly structured meal schedule despite the shift in time -- so if breakfast is normally at 8 a.m., it remains at 8 a.m. after daylight time ends.
"Eating is one of those cues to the body about how our natural rhythm works," she said.
Another cue? Daylight. Douglas says children's internal clocks are closely attuned with the sun's rotation, so exposure to the bright morning sunshine is a great way to get their bodies in sync with the new time.
"The best thing you can do is get your kids outside first thing in the morning so they can benefit from the daylight," she said, suggesting parents make a point of it the morning after changing the clock. "I just learned this one recently, but it really works."
Another strategy is altering a child's schedule in small increments in the days leading up to the official time change. A bath might also be in order, as our body temperature drops about two hours after a soak in warm water, leading to feelings of relaxation and drowsiness, she said.
And in the weeks after, Douglas suggests keeping a relatively calm schedule to account for a potentially cranky child who's still getting used to the new schedule.
But it's not just children who find themselves getting up too early or unable to sleep when the clocks change. Even adults' schedules can be altered by a one-hour time change, whether from daylight time or while travelling, said Colleen Carney, an assistant professor at Ryerson University and director of the school's Sleep and Depression Laboratory.
"It's enough (for someone with) insomnia to really mess things up," she said in a recdnt interview. "For those who are sensitive it causes a problem. For others, it's just a nuisance."
She said many insomniacs are more affected by the quickly disappearing daylight hours that come with the impending winter than by the time change, as insomnia and depression are often linked to lack of sun exposure. But for those who struggle with getting a good sleep, there are some ways to manage the shifted schedule.
"For people who are sensitive, I recommend they not sleep in the extra hour," Carney said. "If you're prone to insomnia, that's not a good idea.
"What we really need for good quality sleep, we need to build (up our desire to sleep) throughout the day. To linger longer in bed might make it more difficult to go to sleep that night. Get up at your normal internal time, go throughout the day and you will feel sleepier when you go to bed."
