Clocks Fall Back Sunday as Clinician Outlines Steps to Handle Light and Sleep Shifts

Daylight saving time ends early Sunday, when Americans will set their clocks back one hour and gain an extra hour of sleep. The change is intended to match daily activity to natural daylight, though it can shift sleep timing, eating patterns and concentration, and some people report feeling down as the days shorten.

Lynn Morgan, a psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker, said seasonal affective disorder is common in fall and winter, particularly on the East Coast. "It's very common during the fall and winter seasons, especially on the East Coast, because of less sunshine, less natural light and colder weather," Morgan said. "Usually, it's cold, wet, dark, and damp, so it does make you feel like gloom and doom." She said some people may need medication or therapy to get through the change.

Morgan's first suggestion involves the lights in a home. "The brighter, the better," she said, adding that people should turn on all the bright lights in a room. She also pointed to sun lamps, which can sit on a desk, tabletop or a stand beside a chair. Sessions typically run 20 to 30 minutes a day, and she said people can begin before the earlier darkness arrives. Research indicates light therapy can help regulate melatonin, which governs the sleep-wake cycle, and support serotonin, which plays a role in mood.

Warmth is another piece of the adjustment. Morgan said people should turn up the heat or use blankets and hot drinks to compensate for the sun's warmth, and she noted that a warm room can make it easier to get up in the morning. "If your room is usually cold, then you want to turn your little space heater on or whatever it is to warm up your room before you get up, so it encourages you to get up, helping with stress," she said.

Keeping a steady sleep and wake schedule helps the body move to the new clock time more quickly, Morgan said. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests sleeping well in the days before the change and going to bed about 15 to 20 minutes earlier ahead of it. Morgan said six to eight hours of sleep is recommended, and she suggested putting a lamp on a timer so the lights are on when an alarm sounds. She also pointed to exercise as a way to support physical and mental health, listing yoga, jumping jacks, running and dancing as options.

Getting outside during daylight hours matters too. Morgan urged people to step out during a lunch break, whether for a walk or to sit in a car, to see the sun and get fresh air, noting that time outdoors affects circadian rhythm. One study cited in the source material indicates that 10 minutes outdoors can produce positive effects, and research on screen time shows that less time on phones can improve sleep quality, reduce stress and ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Morgan asked people to track their mood as the season turns, saying a drop in interest or enthusiasm can signal something more than the calendar. "One of the things that you can do is check your mood," she said. She added that seasonal affective disorder is not a critical diagnosis and that talking to someone can help. The condition can last a few weeks or months, and Morgan said it is different for everyone. "It's different for everyone, but it's OK. You will get through this," she said.