

Don't Let Daylight Saving Catch You Sleeping: Here's How To Prep For The Seasonal Shift
After weeks of hibernating and spending time loathing the frigid winter conditions, Daylight Saving Time (DST) has finally come to our rescue to deliver a much-needed reprieve. On Sunday, March 12, at 2 a.m., we’ll be gifted with the opportunity to reset our physical (and internal) clocks and “spring forward” into the season ahead. And sure, we’ll initially lose out on an hour of sleep that day, but what we’re gaining in extended daylight and recuperation is well worth the exchange.
Daylight Saving Time is a seasonal adjustment that can feel like temporary jet lag. It generally affects our sleep patterns, mood, and productivity and can throw off our daily routines. While the change may leave us feeling groggy and disoriented while we shake the sleep from our eyes, a little bit of provocativeness can help us better ease into this new time change to make the most of our days.
When DST begins this year, our bodies will feel it first. We all have an internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, that regulates our sleep-wake cycle, hormone production, and other bodily functions. When we "spring forward" and lose an hour of sleep, our circadian rhythm is disrupted, and our bodies may struggle to adjust to the new schedule. This can result in feelings of fatigue, moodiness, and difficulty concentrating in the first few days of the time shift. Thankfully, with longer and brighter days ahead of us, adjusting to the change can be a smooth ride with a little preparation.
In the case of gradually settling into the new time change, we’ve got you covered. To kick off daylight saving, we’ve put together a few tips to get you prepped to spring forward and get ahead of the clock.
Make Small Adjustments Now:
If you’re wondering when the best time to start bracing yourself for the time change is, the answer is: right now. The more leeway you give yourself to gradually adjust your sleep schedule and daily routine to the time change, the better. Adjust your bedtime and meal time by 15-30 minutes each night leading up to the time shift to slowly give your body the notice that a new schedule is on the horizon. It may feel like you’re body will already know it’s coming, but any extra prep you give yourself, your body will thank you for.
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Start Your Day With the Sun:
When daylight saving begins, how you start your day will make all the difference. Early exposure to sunlight can help regulate our circadian rhythms and act as a great way to get your body to adapt to the new range of daylight and time change. Going on a morning walk, sunbathing at sunrise, or simply opening up your blinds to let natural light in can be a few easy ways to get your internal clock reset and ready to take on the day.
Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine:
The best days typically start the night before. So when it comes to daylight saving time, getting your bedtime routine on lock can signal to your body that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Try to establish a relaxing bedtime routine that includes activities such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing deep breathing or meditation. This can help you fall asleep more easily and adjust to the new time change.
Awaken Your Mind and Body:
Embrace the power of daylight saving as an opportunity to revitalize your fitness routine and mindfulness practices. This new season is an amazing opening to awaken your senses as your body shakes off the frost, as well as to warm up your body from the inside out. So tap into it. By prioritizing regular exercise and incorporating self-care throughout your day, you'll not only elevate your physical health and align with the change that’s in the air. Remember to allow yourself ample time to wind down before bedtime, meditate, and let the magic of being in the present do wonders on both your body and mind.
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Tweak Your Eating Schedule:
When it comes to daylight saving prep, even the smallest adjustments to your dinner time can make a difference. Remember, this time change is tricky and can make us feel foggy in our approach to the way we normally incorporate our habits and routine. So give yourself the advantage by adjusting your dinnertime three days in advance. By doing so, you can help your body smoothly adapt to the shift in time.
Small changes can make a big difference in how you feel, so take control of your habits and be mindful of when and how you nourish yourself.
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Russell and Nina Westbrook Dish On The Key Ways To Avoid Resentment In Relationships
Russell and Nina Westbrook are one of those low-key, unproblematic couples we don’t talk about enough. They met in college and got married in 2015. They also have a beautiful family with three kids. While Russell is an NBA star, Nina is a licensed family and marriage therapist and a mental health advocate.
She recently launched the podcast The Relationship Chronicles with Nina Westbrook, and in the latest episode, she had none other than her husband on as a guest. The college sweethearts dived into important topics from marriage to children and how they navigate it all.
One of the topics they touched on was dealing with resentment in your relationship. The former MVP highlighted the sacrifices his wife has had to make in order for him to pursue a career in the NBA, and that’s why it’s also important for him to support his wife whenever he can.
“For me is respecting and understanding what your partner do and the time it takes,” Russell said. “Not kind of downplaying what they do, understanding the time and energy and effort they're doing to make sure whether it’s their job or making sure home is taken care of, and understanding that, I think that is the challenge of not being resentful.”
Nina agreed and also shared her thoughts on resentment. According to her, one of the best things couples should do is have their own identity and passions outside of the relationship in an effort to be fulfilled.
“I also think that when you’re in a relationship, that’s why it’s so important that each individual kinda pursue their own passions and follow their own dreams as I feel like it only becomes or leads to resentment when one person is not feeling fulfilled in what they're doing in their lives,” she explained.
“And so, they will start to look at the other partner who’s happy or excelling or promoting or moving along in their journey, then they’re left feeling stuck like they sacrificed themselves, their happiness, their career, their future and have not pursued it in the name of the relationship or their partner. So, it’s so much easier to avoid those feelings of resentment when you’re each equally pursuing your passions.”
The couple has many passions that they work on together and separately. Outside of basketball and his family, Russell has become known for his eclectic style and started the fashion brand Honor The Gift. Nina has her podcast, and she also started the mental health website Bene. Together, they run the Why Not? Foundation, which works with kids in underserved communities.
“I’m a firm believer that one person can’t be everything to you, so you have to sort of seek out those different friendships or groups or hobbies or activities that help to fulfill you,” Nina concluded.
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Feature image by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Religion of Sports