Light sensitivity and clock change

[Juliettaa]

It's that dreaded time of the year for me when the clocks go forward an hour for the start of 'British Summer Time' (bit of a joke as there's still snow in some parts of the UK with a further risk of more snow in a few days time).

I have quite a few sensitivity issues, including light. The clock change will now play havoc with my sleep pattern until the clocks revert back again in six months. I have to rely on wearing an eye mask every night, but this causes me to feel disoriented so isn't ideal. I've got blinds and black out curtains, but I can still see light

Is anyone else affected by this and if so, do you have any coping mechanisms?

 

[Mr Allen]

I thought the clocks went forward the weekend before last, but apparently it's tonight.

And yes there was a post on the Sheffield Star's Facebook last week threatening more snow Easter weekend, I hope it doesn't as we're going on Holiday from next Friday for the weekend.

 

[OlLiE]

it took me a while to find an eye mask that didn't irritate me, but i found one

 

[Gracey]

Face away from the window?

I can’t wear an eye mask, Feel claustrophobic.

The head section of my bed has a screen of sorts between it and my window. Like you, black out blinds and good thick, heavy lined curtains.

The screen gives a little more protection and if I turn onto my side away from the window I can’t see the light through my closed eyelids.

 

[Progster]

I'm the same, I have my window blacked out and blinds, but the light still comes in, though faintly. I don't think that there's a lot you can do about it except try to close up the curtains, see where the light is still coming from and block as much out as possible.

 

[Streetwise]

It's that dreaded time of the year for me when the clocks go forward an hour for the start of 'British Summer Time' (bit of a joke as there's still snow in some parts of the UK with a further risk of more snow in a few days time).

I have quite a few sensitivity issues, including light. The clock change will now play havoc with my sleep pattern until the clocks revert back again in six months. I have to rely on wearing an eye mask every night, but this causes me to feel disoriented so isn't ideal. I've got blinds and black out curtains, but I can still see light

Is anyone else affected by this and if so, do you have any coping mechanisms?

when I was in that time where I was covering my eyes -I wore a beanie and pulled it down over my eyes ,if you haven't got one buy a very dark colour!!!!!then I went to sleep ,tried to wear an eye mask on a flight to Australia (and in bed ),couldn't stand the feeling of elastic so I was awake for 20 hours it seems to be the one blessing of panicking the whole day you are so shattered by Night time you pass out.
as migraine charity in the UK recommend where AMBER tinted sunglasses! I think I bought mine on eBay you can probably get some at boots or Sainsbury's .
The migrant charity website I looked that had ones that were blocked in at the side ,in Australia they promote sunglasses blocked in at the side to prevent your eyes being burned by the light and contracting skin cancer

 

[Suzanne]

I am affected with lighting and really do not like the clocks changing and there has been talks from Brussels that they may do away with the changing of the clocks, which would be nice.

 

[WereBear]

I love my sleep mask. DreamEssentials.com has dozens to choose from.

 

[A.T.]

It is possible that you already do these things, but I am also sensitive to light and I'll just list some actions that have been helpful to me.

1. It took me a long time to notice that even small amounts of light -- like light coming in under the crack in the door, and my alarm clock's glowing display numbers -- affect my sleep. I found that turning my alarm clock's display off, and placing a sweatshirt to block off the bottom of the door, helped. Maybe you can check for smaller, less noticeable sources of light, and adjust those too.

2. I triple up on blinds + a blackout pull-down screen over the window + pinning a blanket up over the window.)

3. In addition to blacking out my room, I try to standardize the transitions between light and dark in my day. Even if I black out my room well, if reading on a bright laptop right before bed, or staying in a dark room for two hours after I wake up, will mess up my sensory processing, sleep, and mood. So:
->I try not to read on bright screens an hour before bed.
-> I got an alarm clock that brightens slowly for half an hour before it goes off, it looks like this (link to image): https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/191865587266-0-1/s-l1000.jpg .
-> I use an app called f.lux that can adjust the color balance of light throughout the day on computer screens to affect my circadian rhythm -- here's a link to it: f.lux .
-> I go outside briefly as soon as I wake up to try to get my brain to notice that, hey, it's morning -- in the winters, I look at the brightest light I can find, and have in the past used a light therapy lamp (the sort intended for Seasonal Affective Disorder).

 

[Juliettaa]

Thanks all for your replies.

I love my sleep mask. DreamEssentials.com has dozens to choose from.

I'll have a look at that website. Thank you


@A.T. - thank you so much for your suggestions and for providing links. I already do 1 and 2, but I'll definitely look into the other suggestions about the clock and app.

 

[Progster]

I wore a beanie and pulled it down over my eyes ,if you haven't got one buy a very dark colour!!!!!then I went to sleep ,tried to wear an eye mask on a flight to Australia (and in bed ),couldn't stand the feeling of elastic so I was awake for 20 hours

I have a beanie that's open on the top instead of closed, so it's like a tube. It makes a good blindfold.

 

[Judge]

I now keep a blanket covering my entire bedroom window year-round.

Not perfect in terms of blotting out all the light, but it's effective enough to better regulate my issues regarding daylight savings and the early summer sun which can be so disruptive to my sleeping patterns.

 

[tlc]

Yes but in a different way. It's this time of year when the snow starts melting so the roads are wet. And when the clocks change, the light is no less than blinding when I'm driving to work. Some stretches of road you honestly can't see anything, you just hope for the best.

Everybody else in this house seems to love shutting out the outside. To me it gets depressing. I'm always opening the blinds back up. I like to look outside 24/7. I'm paying for 9 acres of secluded land full of nature. I want to be able to see it.