As daylight saving time ends, CHP warns of drowsy driving

As we "fall back" to standard time, the sun will come up earlier in the morning, and it will get darker earlier, during the evening commute.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Daylight saving time ends early Sunday morning, which means you'll get an extra hour of sleep. As we "fall back" to standard time, the sun will come up earlier in the morning, and it will get darker earlier, during the evening commute.

"We’re actually gaining an hour, so we’re going to have time to have an extra full cycle of sleep. That’s not going to just increase the quantity of sleep, but it’s also going to increase the quality of sleep. Not the same night, tomorrow but later on in the week," said Steven Macramalla, a psychology lecturer at San Jose State University.

Although this can be a benefit initially, any disruption to your normal sleep cycle can be a tough adjustment.

Macramalla said there are a few things you can do to prepare for this.

"When you wake up, get up. Get some light exercise. Have low light in the evening. And then take it easy, be light on the caffeine and alcohol during the day. And so those five things should help you keep a smooth, regular sleep schedule," said Macramalla.

This change in your sleep pattern can cause you to be drowsy during the day, and that has the California Highway Patrol putting up messages throughout the Bay Area. Freeway signs read "Feel drowsy exit and rest."

"If your eyelids are feeling heavy, pull over. We know, and unfortunately we’ve seen, that these crashes when people fall asleep very often can end up being fatal because they’ll run off the road and hit something, or they’ll hit another vehicle," said Officer Andrew Barclay with CHP.

He said the whole state is putting a focus on this reminder all week, stressing that drowsy driving can mimic driving under the influence.

He said the potential for crashes also increases as it gets darker, which means watching for pedestrians and bicyclists is even more important.