Daylight Savings Hacks + a Viral Chicken Recipe You Need to Try!
The Monthly Fill: Get the tips on how to move through daylights savings time with ease. Plus, a viral recipe I literally cannot stop eating!
I’m in the camp of, let’s just leave the time alone!
How do you feel about it?
Of course, I know there are arguments on both sides. I’m not here to get into the politics of it. I just want to help you adjust.
Because you do need to help your body adjust. It may seem like just an hour of change, but that’s a really big deal to your body.
In fact, daylight saving time, particularly the spring forward/lose-an-hour that’s sneaking up on us in just a week, is notoriously hard on the body.
Statistics show up to a 24% increase in heart attacks on the Monday after the switch, an 8% higher risk of stroke, a 6% rise in fatal traffic accidents, more workplace injuries, and even a significant uptick in suicide rates in the weeks following the time change.
I’m not one who generally points out the negatives, but I wanted to make sure I get my point across. This isn’t “just an hour.” Your body needs some real support.
That’s why I’ve pulled together a few tips to help you prep and slide through the shift without feeling it.
Don’t complicate it. This is pretty simple. But also, don’t overlook it because it is simple. The goal is to maintain healthy energy flow and give your body battery a boost so it can handle the adjustment the time change is bringing.
Remember: your body runs on tightly regulated schedules. That’s why you get hungry at the same times, feel tired around the same hours, and often wake up even when you could sleep it.
Your body is following a routine, including your hormones, neurotransmitters, and even metabolism, which is why you need to help it out.
Tips for (to start today) to prep for daylight saving time:
01: Be strategic about light exposure.
Light is what programs your biological routine. You have to use it to help it. Using light strategically is one of the best (and easiest) ways to help your body adjust to the time shift.
Leading up to daylight savings time (and after), get outside early and sit in the morning sun. No sunglasses or contacts. Get your bare eyes in the sun. Even one to two minutes can make a difference.
Repeat that at sunset. Yes, even on cloudy days. A few minutes of evening light cues your body that it’s time to wind down.
Action: Get morning and evening sun exposure.
02: Make gradual sleep adjustments (starting now).
Don’t wait to just “lose an hour” and adjust when you’re forced to. Help your body by making slight adjustments all week long. Shift your bedtime, going to bed 10-15 minutes early each night leading up to the change.
And skip the weekend sleep-in, at least for the next few weeks. Keeping your weekend schedule close to your weekday schedule prevents mini “jet lag.” If you need extra rest, take a short nap instead of sleeping in.
Action: Go to bed 10-15 minutes earlier each night leading up to the change.
03: Take a nap (or a few if you need it).
The goal is to avoid sleep loss. As you adjust your sleep, you might feel more tired. Give yourself permission to take a nap. Don’t fight through fatigue, but work with it.
But be strategic with it. You don’t want to sleep so long during the day that it prevents you from falling asleep at night. That’s just a vicious cycle you don’t want to begin.
Action: Take a 20-30 minute nap, earlier in the day if feeling fatigued.
04: Adjust your meal times.
Similar to adjusting bedtime, adjust your meal times. Shift your meal times to align with your sleep schedule. This will help your metabolism sync nicely.
Action: Shift your with your sleep cycle. Eat 10-15 minutes earlier at all meals leading up to the time change.
05: Cut back on caffeine (and skip alcohol).
Both caffeine and alcohol can disrupt sleep, hormone balance, and overall body rhythm. Consider them stressors you don’t need while your system adjusts to the time change.
You don’t have to eliminate them forever, but in the week leading up to and after the time change, limit both as much as possible. Your body will thank you.
Action: Limit (or eliminate) caffiene and alcohol leading up to and after the time-shift.
06: Don’t stop moving.
I truly believe many sleep problems could be solved if people just moved more. How do you expect to fall asleep if your body is raging with unspent energy? You might feel emotionally tired, but that doesn’t mean you physically are. Sometimes all you need is a little movement to burn off the extra energy so you can fall asleep.
All of that to say, keep moving. That doesn’t mean beating your body into submission. Moderate movement is all it takes to help you sleep more deeply. And deep sleep is key to regulating your body processes.
Action: Maintain daily movement in whatever capacity feels right.
07: Take the next few weeks slowly.
Again, it can seem silly, but the time change is a big deal to your body. Let the week leading up and after be taken a little more slowly.
Underschedule your life, create space to rest, and cut back on life stressors. This isn’t the week to push yourself hard.
For now, support your body with restorative practices so the shift feels like a gentle nudge instead of a jolt.
A little motivation for the new month ahead…
Let it be easy!
That doesn’t mean it will be, but at the same time, what if it doesn’t have to be hard? At the very least, don’t make it harder than it needs to be.
When life starts to feel overwhelming. When you start to feel confused, or you’re getting bogged down in the details, ask yourself, am I making this harder than it needs to be?
What would be the easier way to do this?
A good life isn’t about eliminating struggle or avoiding it. It’s not about forcing perfection. It’s about choosing better, more meaningful struggle sand letting go of the control that causes over-complifcation.
Viral recipes —> New Classics
I’ve been trying out some of the latest viral recipes, and they aren’t disappointing.
One of our absolute favorites this month was the viral Costco chicken-in-a-bag.
Now, in full disclosure, I didn’t actually make it in the bag. A bowl felt more manageable.
Here was our take on the viral chicken-in-a-bag that I made in less than 20 minutes:
**This fed my family of five.
3 cups Shredded chicken, chopped. (I slow-cooked a whole chicken and had plenty left for another meal)
3 cups pre-cooked and cooled rice (I often batch cook rice)
Taylor Farms: Asian chopped salad kit (you could make your own)
1 cup diced cucumber
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced
4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame seeds
To make, chop all ingredients, then add them to a bowl, adjusting the amounts of the herbs and seasoning to your taste.
Added flare:
I chose to make crispy rice for this recipe. This added a bit of time, but if you have it, totally worth it.
To make crispy rice:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Dump 3 cups of rice on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with sesame oil, soy sauce, and sweet chili sauce (listed in the recipe above).
Mix together well and spread into a thin layer on the baking sheet.
Bake for 12-20 minutes, depending on crispiness preference.
Toss halfway.
I think this step was totally worth it, but also not needed if you’re short on time.
Make it your way:
What I love about a recipe like this is that there are literally a thousand variations based on your preferences. You could replace ingredients, or add new ones (like edamame), to make it into something you love.
Are you into viral recipes? And if so, what viral recipe have you been loving? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Cheers to a new month, more sunshine, and warmer days!
