This past Saturday, Americans across the U.S. sprung their clocks forward as part of Daylight Savings, giving us one extra hour of daylight in the evenings. Although the concept is rooted in good intentions, Daylight Savings can wreak havoc on the energy-levels and efficiency of workers. According to a study conducted in Finland, the spring forward time change can reduce a person’s sleep efficiency by 10 percent, compromising the number of hours a person sleeps overall.
How does this affect your club? The effects may not be immediately noticeable, but your members, employees and yourself could be affected in a variety of ways.
For example, Swedish researchers conducted a study in 2008 “that showed the rate of heart attacks during the first three weekdays following spring daylight saving time increased by about 5 percent from the average rate during other times of the year.” Although heart attacks in clubs don’t happen often, now could be a good time to brush up on Emergency Protocols with employees.
In addition, you may notice groggy employees, and your energy levels may be personally affected. This can negatively impact a health club’s environment, where having upbeat personnel is paramount to offering good customer service. And, as your club’s leader, you need to be at the top of your game when it comes to decision making.
What are some tips for adjusting to the time change to increase energy levels? These three strategies may help:
- Go to be an hour early. Although this seems obvious, it’s harder than you think, especially when you’re getting an extra hour of daylight. So be mindful of your time in the evenings, ensuring you’re preparing for bed at a proper time.
- Prior to bed, shutdown electronic devices. If you’re going to bed an hour early, your brain needs to get the message. Electronic devices, especially those with screens, send signals to your brain telling it to stay awake. So instead of watching TV before bed, read a book or magazine, or practice mediation. You’ll find that falling asleep is a lot easier.
- Take care of your body. This means eating right, staying hydrated and exercising. Treating your body well will mean that your mind feels well, too. You’ll find that you’re less groggy on the days when it counts.
Although this tip is too late to use right now, it can be used next year: Start adjusting to the time change before the time change actually happens. A week before, start going to sleep 5-10 minutes early each day. Once the time change happens, you’ll find that it’s much more easy to adjust.
Share these tips with your employees and members as well. I’m sure they’re struggling with the time change as well.
