Just last week, we were beginning to adjust to the longer days coming out of winter. But then, wham! Daylight Savings Time (DST) required us all to "spring forward"--aka set our clocks ahead--by one hour. If you're like the rest of us, you may still be adjusting to the jetlag-like effects of having our whole routine thrust one hour ahead, complete with the noticeable change in the times of sunrise and sunset. Combined with the ever-lengthening days as we greet the Spring Equinox, this adjustment may take awhile. Fortunately, we at Florida Fruit Shippers have some citrus-based solutions to help make your "DST Effect"--the jetlag you experience with the sudden time change--a little easier, so that you can once again sleep well at night and feel energized with the new time of the rising morning sun.
DST Effect Versus Jetlag
We all know what it feels like to wake up from a poor sleep: despite getting a few hours in, the whole day feels difficult to meet, and we often feel sluggish and compromised at work. While the DST (Daylight Savings Time) Effect is often called "social jetlag," it is actually different than jetlag because in the latter case, our bodies recognize the natural cues of the sun, thereby allowing us the ability to adapt in a more natural way. In the case of the DST Effect, we are being asked to keep our schedules the same while the time of sunrise and sunset are offset by a full hour in either direction. Research has shown this effect to be more stressful on the body than jetlag, as it forces us to adapt to unnatural rhythms. Hence, we experience more nights of poor sleep and more days of sluggishness, reduced concentration, lack of energy, and even--in some cases--depression.
Bring On the Tangelos
It's a good thing that Spring Tangelos are in season, because contained in these palm-sized, easy-to-peel fruits is a powerhouse of DST Effect-busting nutrition! Tangelos are a unique cross between tangerines and grapefruits, and as such they are loaded with all the things a compromised, tired body needs: hydration, vitamin C, antioxidants, and minerals. They can also increase the amount of melatonin in our body by 47 percent, and contain B vitamins which help you sleep by reducing depression and anxiety, readjusting the sleep/wake schedule, and aiding in the production of the main sleep-inducing hormones such as dopamine, serotonin, and GABA. Combined with their anti-inflammatory and gut-cleansing properties to help offset the physical stress of the DST Effect, eating a couple of tangelos per day will, amazingly, help you feel more energized during waking hours and better able to sleep at the sudden "new" time instigated by Daylight Savings.
What About Other Types of Citrus?
Typically, in-season citrus fruits like Spring Tangelos are the most nutrient-dense, namely because they are fresher and more packed with fresh-off-the-tree hydration and bioactive compounds. That being said, other types of citrus such as ruby red grapefruits, navel oranges, and tangerines are still available, and Florida Fruit Shippers would never ship any fruit that isn't fresh from the groves! If you want to maximize the DST Effect counteracting powers of your fruits and eat fruits with the most concentrated nutrition in general, avoid grocery store citrus that has been subject to more transportation and time in boxes and on the shelves. This scenario amounts to more time away from their source trees and the resulting weakening of their bioactive compounds.
The clock may be springing forward, but you can spring back from the DST Effect with a little help from Florida citrus!
SOURCES:
https://www.gardenbetty.com/sleep-promoting-fruits-and-vegetables-that-help-you-spring-forward-easier/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-reasons-eat-oranges#
https://www.insider.com/best-worst-foods-for-jet-lag-2021-12
https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-11-06/recipe-a-smoothie-that-will-cure-your-jet-lag
https://www.gardenbetty.com/sleep-promoting-fruits-and-vegetables-that-help-you-spring-forward-easier/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-reasons-eat-oranges#
https://www.insider.com/best-worst-foods-for-jet-lag-2021-12
https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-11-06/recipe-a-smoothie-that-will-cure-your-jet-lag
https://sleepeducation.org/resources/daylight-saving-time
https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-seasonal-eating
