Returning to standard time may be welcome news to most Canadians, clocks fall back at 2:00 A.M. on Sunday except in most of Saskatchewan as well as parts of Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, but experts warn the extra hour of sunlight means some long nights ahead for the country's insomniacs.

Experts warn, however, that what feels like a gain to the majority of Canadians can usher in a time of prolonged pain for those who struggle to get enough shuteye.

Colleen Carney, director of the sleep and depression lab at Ryerson University, said insomnia sufferers may find their already problematic sleep patterns are crippled even further by having an extra hour in which to toss and turn.

``When you spend more time in bed, it's like telling your body, 'oh, you don't need more sleep, you need less sleep because you're less active,'' Carney said in a telephone interview. ``People with insomnia will be excited by it, but the reality is that they get absolutely no benefit from this at all.''

A night of extra sleeplessness is exactly what the average insomniac doesn't need at a time of year that's already rife with pitfalls, Carney said.

Decreasing daylight can have a powerful effect on even those who enjoy eight hours of sleep each day, she said, adding longer periods in darkness are well-documented downers for large swaths of the population. Those who are prone to insomnia, she argued, are even more susceptible to the low moods and other seasonal disorders that surface during the winter months. Those disorders can exacerbate their inability to sleep, touching off a frustrating cycle, she added.

Carney suggests insomniacs take a slightly different approach to daylight time than their less sleep-deprived peers, only moving their clocks back after waking up at their regular time on Sunday morning rather than adjusting their Saturday bedtime.
    
For the rest of Canadians, however, Carney said the return to daylight time is a bonus. Those who don't struggle with sleepless nights should revel in the rare opportunity to gain an extra hour of slumber, she said, adding research suggests most people could use it.