How to Adjust Your Sleep

6 Tips for Making the End of Daylight Saving Time Easier on Your Body

The good news is that you can minimize the effects of shorter days after daylight saving time ends this fall. Try following these tips:

1. Start With Basic Sleep Hygiene

Practicing healthy sleep habits is important no matter what time of year it is, says Matthew Morgan, MD, a primary care physician at Ochsner Health Center in Chalmette, Louisiana. If you’re already sticking to a consistent sleep routine, you’re less likely to be affected by the hour switch than if you’re shifting sleep and wake times from day to day.

“Relaxing activities, such as reading in a different room or going for a walk before bed, can also be of benefit,” Dr. Morgan says, as can going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, using your bed only for sleep and sex, and avoiding overdoing it on caffeine and alcohol.

The end of daylight saving time may offer a good opportunity to reevaluate your sleep habits and figure out how to improve them. “Kind of like a New Year’s resolution, [the switch back to standard time] is a good excuse to do something about your sleep,” says Zeitzer.

2. Don’t Procrastinate When It Comes to Changing the Clocks

To make the time change feel more natural, Dr. Hardy suggests setting all the clocks in your home back the night before the switch. That way, you’ll start adjusting to the new time when you wake up on Sunday, a day ahead of the start of the workweek.

As you adjust to the time change that first week, it may be tempting to take naps or sleep in on the weekends, but do your best to stick with your regular sleep schedule as much as you can. If you need a nap, keep it under 20 minutes, in the early afternoon, so that it doesn’t interfere with your nighttime sleep.

3. Get Morning Sunlight for Better Mood

Getting sunlight first thing in the morning signals your body that it’s time to be awake, which helps realign your body’s circadian rhythms to the new standard time, Zeitzer says.

Research suggests that people who get more sunlight during the winter report lower levels of depression than those who get less natural light.

Getting light through your windows helps, Zeitzer says, so it may be worthwhile to reposition your desk or breakfast table, if needed.

4. Consider Light Therapy as a Stand-In for Natural Sunlight

If you typically wake up before sunrise or have trouble getting outdoors, light therapy can stand in for natural sunlight, Zeitzer says. It uses a light therapy box, a small device that emits a type of artificial light similar to outdoor light.

When used in the morning, light therapy can signal to your body that it’s time to be awake. It can help realign your internal clock after daylight saving time ends.

For maximum effectiveness, use the light box for about 30 minutes, within an hour of waking up every day. Make sure to sit about 16 to 24 inches away from the box.

5. Exercise to Boost Your Mood and Energy

Exercise releases natural feel-good chemicals in your brain that can boost your sense of well-being and help distract you from negative thoughts. It can also raise your energy levels, helping you cope with some of the fatigue that comes with the shortage of sunlight and the clock change, Hardy says.

Aerobic exercise may help lessen mood changes and depression symptoms tied to the change of seasons and the slight misalignment of the body’s internal clock. Exercise is associated with an uptick in neurotransmitters and proteins called neurotrophic factors, which are thought to ease depression symptoms.

Exercising too close to bedtime may interfere with sleep, though, so it’s best to avoid heavy workouts during those hours.

6. Support Better Sleep With a Balanced Diet

What you eat, especially in the hours before bed, can certainly affect your sleep. Having alcohol, caffeine, and spicy or fatty foods too close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep. You might also want to avoid high-protein meals at dinnertime, as protein takes longer for your body to digest.

And throughout the whole day, focus on eating a nutrient-dense, balanced diet. Research suggests a link between better sleep quality and antioxidant-rich foods, a diet that is low in sugar and simple carbohydrates, and getting enough protein.

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