How to Adapt to the Time Changes in Autumn

This Sunday, clocks will move back one hour starting at 2 a.m., marking the end of daylight saving time in 2024. Daylight Saving Time is a 238-day event spanning spring, summer and half of autumn. It is the practice of changing the clocks to extend and make better use of daylight hours so that darkness falls later. Here’s how it works:

Spring Daylight Saving Time “Spring Forward”: Clocks are advanced one hour at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March. We lose an hour of sleep for more daylight and shorter night hours.

Fall Daylight Saving Time “Backward”: Clocks are set back one hour at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. We gain an hour of sleep from shorter daylight hours and longer night hours.

How time changes affect sleep

Setting our clocks forward an hour may seem like a no-brainer, but experts have explained that changing the time can affect the circadian rhythm, the internal clock that helps control sleep and other biological processes. Changing circadian rhythms can affect our sleep/wake cycles and create serious sleep problems, including loss of sleep and serious mood changes. Lack of sleep can cause problems with learning, concentration and reaction. Even though there are fewer adverse health effects associated with daylight saving time in the fall, people still often feel sluggish and tired after the clock switch, explains the Sleep Foundation, so getting an hour of sleep may not lead to better rest or eliminate the deficit sleep after one night.

*Sleep deprivation is the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep over several days or weeks. It affects people who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, insomnia or sleep disorders.

Preparing now can help us transition well and avoid potential disruptions during the fall daylight saving time transition. Some helpful tips include using mindful practices, improving sleep hygiene, and reducing sleep disturbances. But we also need to explore and learn what works best for us. It will take a targeted approach to achieve quality sleep and improve your overall health.

Why time changes affect your sleep

While changing fall times may not disrupt sleep as much, it can still affect sleep habits. Seasonal time changes, be it fall or spring, have always affected sleep quality, although fall and summer time are an easier transition. There is growing pressure from scientists and medical professionals to eliminate seasonal time changes in favor of constant standard time, as this is best consistent with human circadian biology. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has stated that it is the human biological clock that influences sleep. In an article published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the AASM explains that the timing of light and darkness, which determines sleep-wake rhythms, regulates a person’s biological clock. “Daylight saving time can cause misalignment between the body and environmental clocks, leading to serious health and public safety concerns, particularly in the days immediately following the annual change to daylight saving time.” Most of the US observes daylight saving time. Therefore, Herculean efforts will be required to eliminate seasonal time changes.

Why time changes cause more sleep problems

The Sleep Foundation explains that many people feel rested and more alert during the fall daylight saving time transition. However, some people, especially those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression typically associated with shorter days and less sunlight in the fall and winter, may experience more trouble sleeping. There is a strong correlation between SAD and various factors such as sleep disturbances, circadian rhythms and insufficient exposure to sunlight. Therefore, choosing the best treatment for you is the first step in fighting SAD this season. A new study published in the Journal of Mood Disorders found that phototherapy (light therapy) was significantly more effective than other intervention groups or control treatments such as antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy and negative ion generators. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of different approaches to treating SAD.

Fall 2024 Daylight Saving Time is just around the corner. Let’s take this opportunity to cope with the changing times, practice healthy habits and sleep better at night.