We spring forward this weekend as Daylight Saving Time returns, but sleep expert Dr. Richard Castiotta at the U.T. Health Science Center in Houston says the time to start preparing for the switch is now, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"By gradually getting up a little earlier each day, you can 'ease into the transition' and avoid that jet lagged feeling," he said.
Research shows the loss of an hour early Sunday morning leads to many problems, from an increase in stroke victims to a spike in traffic accidents the Monday morning after the spring time change.
And reminding us that we're 'going to get the hour of sleep back' when Standard Time returns in the fall doesn't cut it.
"It clearly messes up our sleep-waking cycle," he said.
He says it is especially hard on teenagers to go through the time change, because middle and high school kids' sleep-wake cycle is probably messed up by social media as it is.
"Teenagers nine hours, up to eleven hours for kids in elementary school," he said. "Kids need a lot more sleep than people think."
But if several Texas lawmakers have their way, the twice-yearly time change will be a thing of the past. Bills introduced in the current session would eliminate the time chage, but they disagree on whether the Daylight Time or the Standard Time should become the year round standard.