On Sunday the clocks will go forward by one hour. Although it may seem like an insignificant change it can have a big impact on people’s routines, especially if you have PCOS.
Women with PCOS tend to experience more challenges around sleep and studies have shown that when they experience disruptions in circadian rhythm, it can affect hormone levels and result in metabolic imbalances, often associated with PCOS.
Circadian rhythms are cycles that are driven internally, they rise and fall during a 24-hour period and are responsible for helping us fall asleep at night and waking up in the morning.
As well as regulating our sleep/wake cycles, circadian rhythms are also responsible for eating habits and digestion, regulating body temperature and the release of hormones. The release of certain hormones are regulated by circadian rhythms, these include cortisol, melatonin, growth hormone, and thyroid stimulating hormone.
Studies have shown that when people experience disruptions in circadian rhythms these can affect hormone levels and result in metabolic imbalances often associated with PCOS. Irregular sleep patterns can result in higher levels of cortisol which can increase insulin resistance, a common feature of PCOS.
Circadian rhythms can impact reproductive hormones including luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone, according to a study published in the Fertility and Sterility journal.
If you have PCOS, here’s what can help
Anyone who is diagnosed with PCOS should proritise healthy sleep habits and maintain regular sleep-wake cycles to help balance hormones and reduce PCOS symptoms.
Jodie Relf, PCOS Dietician and spokesperson for MyOva shares some tips on how to reduce the impact of the clocks changing on your circadian rhythm. to restore a healthy circadian rhythm.
“With the clocks changing next week you may notice that your circadian rhythms are disrupted slightly, making it more difficult to fall asleep and wake up at your usual times,” Relf says.
“It usually takes a few days to adjust to the new time.” You may feel a bit sleepy or more fatigued than usual and experience symptoms similar to jet lag.
Here are some things you can do to reduce the impact of the clocks changing on your circadian rhythms according to Relf:
- Gradually adjust your bedtime in the few days leading up to the clocks changing, go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier each night for a few nights in the lead-up to the clocks changing.
- Reduce your exposure to bright lights in the evenings (especially the last 2 hours before going to bed). Blue lights from electronic devices can disrupt the production of melatonin (the hormone that regulates sleep)
- Get lots of natural light during the day, exposure to natural light helps regulate our internal body clock and therefore promotes healthy sleep.
- Be consistent with your sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, including weekends once the clocks have changed. This helps regulate your internal body clock.
- Avoid having caffeine later in the day, it can take around 5 hours to remove caffeine from your system so having it too late in the day can leave you feeling stimulated at bedtime making it difficult to sleep.
- Move your body, exercise can improve sleep quality so finding ways to be active throughout the day can help promote healthy sleep patterns.