Resetting The Body's Clock
Turning back the clock also means giving the body time to reset its internal clock. "A small gland deep inside the brain secretes a hormone that controls our wake and sleep cycles in response to the number of light hours we're exposed to," says Mark Stafford, M.D., UAB associate professor of internal medicine. "When the number of daylight hours decreases, the brain secretes more of this hormone, which may make us want to sleep longer. This is why, as winter approaches and days shorten, it may be harder to wake up in the morning. But usually within a few weeks our bodies readjust to the time change and we're able to resume our normal sleep cycles."
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