This Sunday, March 9, clocks across Canada leap forward from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m., kicking off daylight saving time—and stealing an hour of precious sleep in the process. For the roughly 50% of Canadians already wrestling with sleep disorders, this shift can feel like a punch to the pillow. “Losing that hour can really throw people off, especially if they’re already running on empty,” warns Emily Paris, an Ontario psychotherapist with Haleo, a virtual sleep health clinic.
But don’t despair—Paris has five practical tricks to keep you from turning into a daylight-saving zombie. First, stack up on solid shut-eye in the days before the change to build a sleep buffer. Next, ease into the new schedule by nudging your bedtime earlier by 15 to 30 minutes a few days ahead—it’s like training wheels for your internal clock. Third, soak up morning sunlight to reset your body’s rhythm; Paris explains that daylight cues your brain to stay alert, while darkness signals snooze time.
Feeling groggy post-switch? A quick 20-minute nap between noon and 3 p.m. can recharge your batteries—just don’t overdo it, or you’ll mess up the next night. For night-shift workers, Paris suggests a beefier one- to two-hour nap before work, plus a 20-minute power nap on break. Families with kids should take it slower, shifting bedtimes by 15-minute increments, banking extra sleep, and sticking to a steady routine. With these moves, you’ll spring forward without stumbling.