Experts advise shifting your sleep schedule before daylight savings, but many of us likely didn’t prepare for the time change. While daylight saving time brought an extra hour of sleep, it likely disrupted your body’s internal clock, leaving you tired in the morning, awake at night, and sluggish throughout the day. Here are some tips for adjusting to standard time, helping adults and children adjust, and what to do if the darker days affect your mood.
- Your internal clock is tied to light and darkness, and the body’s natural rhythm doesn’t immediately keep up. Even a one-hour time change can cause temporary misalignment in your sleep-wake cycle.
- The time change can lead to fatigue, reduced alertness, and changes in appetite and mood.
- Most people start to adjust within a few days, but some may need up to a week or more.
- Stay consistent with your bedtime and wake-up time. Morning light exposure can help you adjust faster and signal to your brain that it’s time to be alert.
- Reduce screen time before bed, create a regular evening routine, and have a comfortable, cool, and dark sleep environment.
- Exercise is a powerful way to improve sleep quality. Morning or afternoon workouts can help you feel more awake and improve your mood.
- Instead of eating sugary food or caffeine to fight fatigue, increase alertness by going outside for a quick walk or getting light exposure.
- The shift to shorter days can negatively affect mood and energy levels.
- In children and teens, parents may notice irritability, difficulty concentrating, or early bedtime resistance. Stick with familiar bedtime routines like bath, story, and lights out, even if bedtime is temporarily off. In the mornings, open window shades and turn on the lights as soon as the kids wake up. Get them outside for some fresh air and natural light before school.
Source: CNN Health