How to Adjust Your Sleep After Fall Daylight Saving Time Change

When daylight saving time ends in early November, you hear a lot about the "extra hour" of sleep we supposedly gain. But the reality is more difficult. The sun sets earlier in the afternoon, often before the workday ends. We continue losing morning sunlight for another six weeks after the time change, and all of this happens during the lead-up to the busy holiday season when we have more obligations than normal.

For people who are sensitive to these changes, it can create a perfect storm of sleep disruption. A few years ago, I struggled so much with sleep after the fall time change that I sought help from a sleep specialist. At the time, the adjustment felt impossible. I was exhausted but couldn't sleep, distracted during the day from fatigue, and afraid to get into bed at night because I wasn't getting any rest. Here are the strategies I learned that actually worked, backed by research.

Why Fall Time Change Disrupts Sleep

Research shows that the body clock does not adjust to daylight saving time even after several months, and the acute alterations in timing due to transitions to and from DST contribute to misalignment between the circadian biological clock and the light/dark cycle.

While the spring time change tends to be acutely disruptive, the fall transition creates its own problems. The one-hour time shift during daylight saving time results in less exposure to light in the morning and greater exposure to evening light relative to typical sleep and work schedules, which can confuse our internal clocks.

When the time changes in the fall, darker afternoons and the busy holiday season can wreak havoc on our sleep.

1. Stick to a Consistent Bedtime Routine

This was the first and most important advice my doctor gave me: whenever possible, try to go to sleep and wake up around the same times each day, even on weekends. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day can promote more consistent sleep before and after changes between standard time and daylight saving time. Your circadian rhythm thrives on predictability, and consistency helps your body know when it's time to wind down and when it's time to wake up. This sounds boring and restrictive, but it made a difference for me. You can vary your bedtime by up to 30 minutes each night and still see benefits from more consistency.

2. Don't Go to Bed Too Early

Here's where I made my biggest mistake: once the time changed and it got dark at 5 pm, I found myself wanting to crawl into bed by 7 or 8 pm. It felt natural because my body associated darkness with sleep time. But the sleep specialist explained that giving myself too much time in bed actually led to poor sleep quality. I'd fall asleep early but wake up at 3 am, unable to fall back asleep. The recommendation is to plan for around 8 hours of sleep (unless you're sick or otherwise sleep deprived), not more. If you're tired in the early evening, resist the urge to go to bed before your normal bedtime. Instead, engage in gentle activities that keep you awake until your regular sleep time.

3. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

The basics matter, especially during times of transition:

• Avoid caffeine in the afternoon: Research demonstrates that caffeine consumption even 6 hours before bedtime can have important disruptive effects on both objective and subjective measures of sleep. Sleep hygiene recommendations support refraining from substantial caffeine use for a minimum of 6 hours prior to bedtime.

• Reduce screen time before bed: Evening use of electronic devices with illuminated screens showed a negative effect on all sleep parameters, including sleep duration, latency, and awakenings. The blue light from screens can suppress melatonin production and make it harder to fall asleep.

• Only use the bed for sleep or sex: This was a hard rule for me to follow, but it's crucial. You have to resist the urge to hang out in bed. No scrolling through your phone, watching TV, or working from under the covers. Proper sleep hygiene through behavior and sleep habit modification must be the best strategy for short and long-term sleep improvement. Your brain needs to associate your bed with sleep, not wakefulness. When you consistently use your bed only for sleep, your body gets the signal that climbing into bed means it's time to shut down.

  
  

4. Get Strategic About Sunlight Exposure

Since daylight is more limited after the fall time change, I make a point to get outside for a walk or purposeful exposure to natural sunlight. This was my sleep specialist's most emphasized tip. Light and darkness are the most powerful timing cues for alertness and sleepiness in the human body, and adjusting your exposure to light and darkness will help set your body clock, which regulates the timing of sleep and alertness.

Natural light exposure can alleviate feelings of tiredness in the morning and help reorient your circadian rhythm to minimize sleep disruptions. Even 15-20 minutes of morning sunlight can make a significant difference. During fall and winter, this means being intentional: taking your coffee outside in the morning, going for a lunchtime walk, or even just standing by a sunny window. Research shows that higher daytime illuminance not only shortens the time needed to fully adjust to DST transitions, it also reduces individual differences in adjustment time.

5. Be Patient With the Adjustment

Scientific evidence indicates that changing clocks twice a year disrupts circadian rhythms, leading to higher rates of stroke and obesity, among other health effects. Your body is dealing with a real physiological challenge. The fall time change, combined with decreasing daylight and increasing holiday obligations, can feel overwhelming. Give yourself grace during this adjustment period. It might take a week or two for your sleep to normalize, and that's okay.

If you're still struggling with sleep weeks after the time change, consider talking to your doctor or a sleep specialist. Sleep issues can compound over time, and getting professional help early can prevent more serious problems.

The strategies that worked for me, like consistent sleep times, avoiding too much time in bed, practicing good sleep hygiene, and prioritizing sunlight exposure, are all evidence-based approaches that can help your circadian rhythm adjust to the new time.

How does the fall time change affect your sleep? I'd love to hear what strategies have worked for you.