March 10, 2011 (Toronto, ON) – On March 13th Ontarians will set their clocks ahead by one hour welcoming Daylight Savings Time in anticipation of spring. The Monday morning after though, Ontarians will suffer the wrath of a poor sleep.

On average people lose 40 minutes of sleep when making the switch, this may not seem like much, but the impact is dramatic. The consequences of insufficient sleep are similar to that of alcohol consumption – judgment, mood and the ability to learn are affected. 1 in 5 vehicle accidents have been shown to be the result of drowsy driving.

Drowsy driving is a particular concern during Daylight Savings. A study conducted by the University of British Columbia has demonstrated a 17% increase in motor vehicle collisions the Monday morning after the switch. Other studies have linked the switch to a spike in industrial accidents, and heart attacks.

The sudden switch in our sleep pattern affects our Circadian rhythm, which needs a few days to catch up. Here are some tips from St. John Ambulance that will help your body cope with the sudden switch:

Practice. Go to bed and wake-up earlier the week before the switch.

Stay Awake. Avoid napping the day before the switch.

Soak up the Sun. As soon as you have a chance Monday morning, get some sun. The sun helps regulate our internal clock.

Darken your evenings. Try to avoid a lot of light when you're winding down for bed, find a nice dark place to settle down.

Exercise. But not before bed. Try to complete your work-out routine before dinner, evening exercise can delay sleep.

Take it easy. Try to put off any demanding or potentially dangerous tasks until your sleep schedule has readjusted itself.

For over 125 years, St. John Ambulance has been training over 140,000 Ontarians annually in first aid and other health care related courses and remains dedicated to saving lives at work, home and play. With over 4,000 volunteers contributing over half a million hours of community service a year, St. John Ambulance is an integral part of the community offering such unique and innovative programs as; medical first response, disaster response, car seat clinics, health and safety related youth programs and therapy dog services. As a charitable, humanitarian organization, proceeds from St. John Ambulance’s first aid training and first aid product sales directly support these vital community services programs. For more information on St. John Ambulance training courses and volunteer opportunities or to contact your local branch, visit www.sja.ca/on.