BBC Morning Live doctor advises against afternoon habit after clock change

A BBC Morning Live doctor has urged people to avoid doing one common habit that often occurs during the day – and it’s something that’s even more common now that people work from home.

Labelling the recent clock change as a “big thing” that could be making you more tired, he says that despite it being the nicer change with an extra hour in bed for most (unless you were working), it still messes with our body.

Speaking on BBC Morning Live today (October 28), Dr Xand Van Tulleken – a regular on the show – said that with the clocks having shifted, the cells in our body have been affected. He explains: “All the cells in our body have what’s called a circadian rhythm and that’s regulated by lots of different things.

“But it means when we change the clocks, our body takes a little while to catch up. We catch up about an hour a day, so within a couple of days, you should be ok. What we see in the autumn time change is that there is lower risk of heart attacks and stroke because you get more sleep and there’s less strain on the body.”

We also reduce our risk of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) as well thanks to that extra bit of sunlight in the morning. “But it’s still a disruption, so you may do more snacking and struggle with sleep”, the doctor warns, adding that “it’s not all straightforward.”

How do I get my body clock normal again after clock changes?

The expert says that there’s things you can do to feel normal again including avoiding one common habit many of us do, especially when working from home – napping. He says people should:

• establish a bed time routine – get out of bed at the same every day
• exercise
• avoid naps late in day
• avoid artificial light before bed
• enjoy sunshine during day
• maintain a regular schedule

Talking about a regular routine, he says that having a “bath or shower before bed raises your temperature, then lowers it and that helps you fall asleep. So doing those things regularly literally sets your body clock” he explains.

Am I tired or is there something wrong with me?

Dr Xand says you should differentiate between being tired and being sleepy explaining that tiredness can be caused by a number of factors, but if you’re trying everything and you’re still tired, see your GP adding: “If you are training for a marathon, you’re going to be tired and going ‘actually there’s something wrong and it’s stopping me doing the things I want to do’ that’s really important” he added.

Why could I be tired all the time?

Before see doctor, think if any of the following could be why you are having a bad sleep and waking up feeling exhausted.

• being busy
• diet
• exercise
• stress
• depression
• anxiety
• hormonal changes
• illness
• medical treatments and medication

If you are feeling “tired all the time”, the doctor says don’t be afraid to see your GP again stressing that “blood tests don’t rule everything out and they don’t discover everything either” he says, encouraging people to tell their GP to see what else it could be and to stress if it’s affecting your daily life, to tell them that.