10/30/2026
It’s that time of year again: clocks are changing, and many of us feel the effects. Your body doesn’t reset just because the clock does. It follows an internal rhythm that’s influenced by light, darkness, and your daily routine.
Does the time change throw you off?
Do you feel sluggish in the afternoon or find it harder to get out of bed?
That can happen as your body adjusts - and it isn’t a personal failing.
Artificial light and late-night screen use can make it harder for your body to wind down. A warm bedroom can also interfere with comfortable sleep. Small changes to your light exposure, sleep schedule, and evening routine may help you feel more rested during the transition.
Your body’s circadian rhythm helps regulate sleep and wakefulness, along with hormones such as cortisol and melatonin. Morning light and a consistent wake time can support alertness; dimmer light in the evening can help signal that it’s time to wind down. These rhythms vary from person to person, so there’s no single schedule that works for everyone.
Here are a few practical ways to make the time change easier:
1. Get morning light - Cortisol levels typically rise around waking, helping promote alertness.
Open the curtains or step outside soon after waking. Morning light can help your body adjust to a new schedule. If you can, keep your wake-up time reasonably consistent.
2. Move when it works for you - Light exposure and regular activity support the body’s wake cycle; meals and digestion also follow daily rhythms.
A morning walk or workout can help you feel more alert, but there’s no one “best” time to exercise. Choose a time that fits your routine and that you can stick with.
3. Make evenings more restful - As it gets dark, melatonin levels generally rise, helping prepare the body for sleep.
Dim the lights, reduce screen brightness, and give yourself time to wind down before bed. Keep your bedroom comfortable, quiet, and dark. A cooler room may help some people sleep comfortably, but the ideal temperature varies.
4. Aim for enough sleep - The body cycles through stages of sleep that support recovery and many other functions.
Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep, though individual needs vary. A regular bedtime and wake time can help; you don’t have to be asleep by 10 p.m. for your body to recover.
If you’re adjusting to the clock change, try shifting your sleep and wake times gradually over a few days.
Supporting a consistent sleep schedule and getting light during the day can help keep these rhythms on track.
Which habit will you focus on this season?
