BOCA RATON, Fla. – The start of daylight saving time on Saturday, March 13 at 2 a.m. marks a shift that means losing an hour of sleep when the clock springs forward.
While many may turn to prescription and over-the-counter products in an effort to re-set their body clocks, Dr. Richard Isaacson with Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine said there are risks of dependency and even memory loss.
“I really try to avoid medications like the valium, the Xanex, the Ambiens, and the reason is because those drugs in the snap of a finger will knock you out, get you to sleep and that’s great but is it really the best sleep, I don’t think it is and some of these medications have been tied with poor cognitive outcomes later in life,” he said.
Isaacson said melatonin supplementation may be helpful but should only be taken under a doctor’s supervision.
To support your sleep cycle, Isaacson said to be consistent about when you go to bed and wake up and avoid using any electronics an hour before bedtime.
E-cigarette Research
And in the 16 years since e-cigarettes were first introduced in the U.S. research out of Ohio State is revealing more about the risks.
The study involving mice found that males were at a higher risk of developing heart conditions.
Researchers are now looking to see if the negative heart impacts can be reversed if vaping stops.