FitSugar

Did the Extra Hour of Light Motivate You to Exercise This Morning?

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

I have a love / hate relationship with daylight savings. These days the most difficult part is transitioning my little girls onto the new time schedule and trying to motivate to make dinner when it is pitch black outside. However, I find the early morning sun a wonderful motivation to exercise. It is much easier to climb out of bed and run when the sun is up too.

What about you? I want to know if . . . .

Source

Celebrate Daylight Saving Time With a Morning Workout

FitSugar — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:30:05 -0700

It's that time of year again, where we "fall back," and turn our clocks back one hour. I love gaining an extra hour this one time of the year, so make the most of it. Don't just go through your day as usual, because you'll never even realize you received that extra 60 minutes.

Since most people complain that they don't have time to exercise, my advice is to get up in the morning when you normally do, and spend your freebie hour working out. It's a great habit to get into, especially if you love exercising outdoors. Mornings will be brighter, so it's safer to exercise before work, since it'll most likely be dark by the time you get home. Here are some ways to sweat it out for an hour:

Call a friend and go on a long, brisk walk. You'll burn 236 calories.
Pick up the pace and go on a relaxing run. An hour burns 473 calories.
Hit a mountain trail. An hour-long hike burns 355 calories.
Hop on your bike and tour a new spot in your neighborhood. After an hour, you'll have burned 473 calories.
Do a strength-training session and burn 177 calories after an hour.
Take a heart-pumping cardio class at your gym. You'll burn an astounding 414 calories.

Don't forget to change your clocks before you go to bed tonight. Daylight saving time officially ends at 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 1. Enjoy your hour!

Is Daylight Saving Adversely Affecting You?

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0700

The hour time shift of daylight saving is regularly touted as an energy saver. For me personally, it feels more like an energy suck. Waking up in the dark this week has been particularly difficult, and trying to get my girls to bed when the sun is still out hasn't been a walk in the park either. I have been relying on a second cup of coffee and admit I have skipped a few morning workouts, but this loss of an hour can have more sleep consequences. The sudden shift in time has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns and create restlessness as well as shorter sleeping duration. A few studies have linked the time shift caused by daylight saving to increased incidences of heart attacks and even suicide, although more research is needed on these grave side effects.

All that being said, I know a few people that love having an extra hour of daylight at the end of their work day. So I am curious about you . . .

Source

Fit Tip: Welcome Daylight Saving With Evening Workouts

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0800

It's daylight saving time this Sunday, March 8, which means we'll lose an hour that day when we "spring forward." The best way to deal with it is to sleep in on Sunday so you don't disrupt your sleep patterns, then go to bed at your normal bedtime on Sunday night. When you wake up in the morning that Monday, you'll notice it's a lot darker out. So you may want to skip the morning workout and exercise in the evening.

Take advantage of the extra hour of daylight by getting bundled up for a bike ride or jog outside, take the dog for a walk in the park, swim at your gym, or pop in a fitness DVD in your living room. Exercising after you get home from a long day of work is a great way to unwind and relieve stress. Plus it will tucker you out and help you fall asleep faster that night when it's time to hit the hay. My buddy DearSugar has her own ideas of how to make use of the extra hour evening light.

Source

Spring Ahead of Daylight Saving

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:45:00 -0800

Clocks are due to go ahead one hour on March 9, and I don't know about you, but the one hour of lost sleep can really throw me off. Don't get me wrong, I love it staying light out later, but I also value my sleep. So instead of just dealing with it, you can use the following tips to cope with Daylight Saving Time:

Begin to readjust your sleep schedule a few days prior to the time change by going to bed an hour earlier.
Modify your eating schedule by having dinner one hour earlier.
Be careful when driving or operating machinery on the day of the time change.
Avoid napping, particularly before bedtime.
Keep a light schedule - such as minimizing driving and avoiding strenuous physical activity - on the Monday after the time change.
Eat properly, stay hydrated and remain physically active.

Source

Daylight Savings Time (It May Take Weeks to Adjust)

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:30:00 -0700

It is time to change our clocks again this Sunday. That means that at 2 a.m. on November 4, you've got to set your clock back one hour. The saying, "Spring forward and fall back," always helps me remember which way the clocks go.

It's great that we gain an hour, but a new study shows that our bodies don't adjust well to the time shift. Although it's just a one hour difference, our natural clock (known as circadian rhythm), may take up to four weeks to adjust in the Spring and another six weeks to adjust in the Fall.

There have only been a few studies on the connection between Daylight Savings Time and human circadian rhythms, so it's not yet known if the constant changing has any significant long-term effects on our health. Hopefully this subject will be studied soon.

Since gaining an hour will definitely mess with your internal clock, be sure to listen to your body's needs. Eat and sleep when your body wants to, and gradually shift your old schedule back an hour. It may take a few days, or even a few weeks for things to feel normal again.

Fit's Tip: When you change your clocks back, don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

People seem split on this time change and I am curious to know how you feel about gaining an hour? Tell me how you feel in the comment section below.

Source

Ease Your Body Into Daylight Savings Time

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0800

This Sunday is Daylight Savings Time. That means that at 2 am on March 11, the clocks skip ahead 1 hour. Remember the saying - "Spring forward and Fall back."

Losing one hour of sleep can really screw up your circadian rhythm (your body's inner clock), so you might want to think about easing into it.

On the day before, try going to sleep earlier and waking up earlier. You can also adjust your mealtime schedule and eat an hour earlier.

Before you go to sleep on Saturday night, set all the clocks in your house ahead 1 hour. That way, when you wake up on Sunday morning, it won't be so obvious that you lost an hour.

On that Sunday, avoid taking a nap to make up for the hour you lost. It'll only make it harder to get to sleep on Sunday night.

On that Monday, try to keep your schedule light. You might be feeling tired and cranky, so if you have less to do, it'll give your body time to relax and adjust.

Fit's Tips: Don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors too.

Dealing With the End of Daylight Saving

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:47:19 -0800

Although sleep experts believe "falling back" and gaining an hour in Autumn is easier than losing an hour in Spring, it will still take your body a few days to acclimate to the time change. Here are a few tips on how to keep the change from adversely affecting your sleep habits:

As much as it may seem like a good idea, avoid drinking extra caffeine for a few days after the time shift.
Similar to avoiding that extra cup of joe, you should avoid taking a nap. Napping can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at the proper bedtime.
Catch early morning rays. This could be with a run or just basking in the sunlight through a window.
Don't get behind the wheel if you're feeling sleepy. Driving and dozing is a dangerous thing.

Get in Gear: Reflective Gear for Daylight Saving Time

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 03:00:00 -0700

If you love to walk, run, or bike ride in the mornings before you head out to work, jumping the clocks an hour ahead is going to make your workouts a bit dark. That's no reason to give up on your exercise routine. A few wardrobe changes will help keep you safe so you can see and be seen. Check these out.

View Slideshow ›

Exercise With Your Extra Hour

FitSugar — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 04:45:00 -0700

Daylight savings is tonight and hooray for "falling back." It's so great to gain an hour of time this one day a year, so make the most of it. Don't just go through your day as usual because you'll never even realize you received that extra 60 minutes. Since most people complain that they don't have time to exercise, my advice is to go out and do something physical for the entire hour. You'll feel proud of your efforts, and your mind will be energized and de-stressed. Here are some ideas:

Hike some woodsy trails or up the nearest mountain: 355 calories
Cruise around town for a leisurely Fall bike ride: 355 calories
Take a cardio class at your gym: 414 calories
Go for a light jog (12-minute miles) to work on your endurance: 473 calories
Play a friendly game of soccer: 414 calories
Do some much-needed stretching of your entire body: 236 calories

Don't forget to change your clocks before you go to bed tonight. Daylight saving time officially ends at 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning, when we roll our clock back one hour.
Source