WATERLOO - When daylight saving time rolls around every spring, Barb Standiford hits the sack early.

"I have to," said the Waterloo woman. "I work at 6 a.m., so I notice losing that hour."

Still, it takes Standiford a couple of days to adjust to the change, and she's not alone. The "spring forward" transition means it stays light well into prime time and is darker when we wake up in the morning. Although those changes may seem insignificant, the changing patterns can lead to sleep deprivation for some people. For those individuals, that one hour of missed pillow time spurs a nightly struggle to log eight hours of solid slumber.

"Our bodies naturally want to follow the changing seasons, and our internal clocks are extremely sensitive to the timing, intensity and duration of the light," said Dr. Jessica Boevers, with Covenant Clinic in Shell Rock. "When we artificially try to switch that clock, people may feel sleep-deprived and have troubles with memory, concentration and appetite."

This year's daylight saving time goes into effect at 2 a.m. March 8. Most states in the U.S. have observed the change since 1918. The annual time shift was instituted to make the most out of daylight hours.

But the transition can be trying, especially for night owls, Boevers said.

"There have been some studies that show that in the three days following the entrance of daylight saving time, there's an increase in heart attacks, and when you go off of daylight saving time in the fall, you see a decline in heart attacks," she said. "That's most likely due to sleep deprivation."

Daytime exercise, exposure to bright, natural light and eating dinner earlier can help individuals adjust to the time shift, Boevers said. Some people take melotonin, a supplement that helps regulate circadian rhythms, at the advice of the doctor.

To further ease the transition, Dr. William Kohler, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute, suggests hitting the sack a little earlier in the coming week.

"If you typically go to bed at 11 o'clock, try going to bed at 10:45 for a couple of days, and then 10:30, 10:15 and finally 10," Kohler said. "By the time the clock changes, you're ready to go to bed at 11 again."

Retired folks generally have an easier time adjusting to the shift because their schedules are usually more flexible, he said. Children and adults who have a regimented school or work schedule can take a week or more to develop new sleep patterns.

Standiford, for one, expects to be a little sleepy when she clocks into work the morning of March 9. But she welcomes the arrival of daylight saving time.

"Once you get going in a routine, it's better," Standiford said. "It stays light longer, and you get to spend more time outside instead of sitting inside watching the TV."

Contact Mary Stegmeir at (319) 291-1482 or mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.