Here's how to make Daylight Savings suck less

5 tips to avoid the "spring forward" slump

Mondays suck in general. But the Monday after Daylight Savings when we lose an hour of sleep? Arguably the worst Monday of the entire year.

There's truly not enough coffee in the universe to make that Monday better — and she's about to be here, folks. Daylight Savings begins Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m., which means we "spring forward" and lose an hour of precious, PRECIOUS sleep.

Daylight Savings was first written about by Benjamin Franklin in 1784 — as satire, btw — where he suggested in the Journal de Paris that Parisians should wake up earlier to save money on candles and lamp oils. But it wasn't until 1966 that the United States enacted the Uniform Time Act. 

And despite our best efforts, we can't get rid of it — no matter how universally hated it truly is (and scientifically proven to be detrimental to your health). But... here we are. 

So while we can't get rid of Daylight Savings as much as we would love to, we have some tips to make it suck less. And if we're going to lose an hour of sleep, at least we have copious amounts of coffee to make it a little more tolerable.

SET YOUR COFFEE POT BACK THIS WEEKEND

Take even thinking about coffee on Monday out of the equation. The easiest thing you can do (if you own a programmable coffee pot) is to set the time an hour forward, schedule it to brew as you're waking up, so you can wake up to a fresh pot of coffee.

Studies also show that smelling coffee alone can help wake you up, as the smell stimulates your brain — and honestly, what gets you out of bed faster than smelling fresh coffee? 

SWITCH UP YOUR BEDTIME ROUTINE

One of the most abrupt changes that stems from Daylight Savings is the shift in our circadian rhythms. Experts suggest starting to shift your bedtime up by 15 minutes a day a few days before the change (so this week). Try to maintain at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Consistency is key!

Additionally, avoid alcohol before bed and don't exercise within four hours of planning to go to sleep.

TAKE A COFFEE NAP — SERIOUSLY

If you're dragging next week and are dying for a few extra minutes of sleep, may we suggest the coffee nap: drinking some coffee and THEN sleeping for 20 minutes. Sounds crazy, but it works. 

The period of time between drinking your coffee and caffeine affecting your system is about 20 minutes — the perfect power nap timeframe. If you drink a quick cup of coffee (or we recommend a shot of espresso) and immediately sleep for 20 minutes, you'll wake up feeling great. Take this as a sign to tell your boss you need to take a nap at work — it's supported by science, after all. 

Get some sunshine (especially on Sunday)

If weather permits, get outside on Sunday morning to help "reset" your internal clock. So grab a to-go cup of coffee and take a walk, sit on your porch, or in an area of your house that gets ample sunlight. 

Try to get outside as much as possible the following week as your body continues to adjust. It'll help in the long run! 

Just call out of work 

No explanation needed — because #SelfCare. 

 Related: Drink coffee black? You might be a psychopath

[Photo Credit: Toa Heftiba va Unsplash]