By Robin Stoloff
The clock on the microwave finally matches the one on our phone. Sunset seems to arrive before we’ve even decided what to make for dinner. Somehow, after supposedly gaining an hour of sleep, we’re still yawning. Welcome to the first week after the fall time change.
Daylight saving time ended Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks moved back one hour. Most of our devices have adjusted on their own, but our bodies may need a little more help. If you’ve been waking earlier than you’d like or feeling ready for bed before your usual bedtime, there’s a good reason.
We run on internal rhythms that help coordinate sleep and wakefulness, and light is an important signal for that system. When the clock changes, the relationship between those rhythms and our daily routines shifts, too. An extra hour on the calendar doesn’t automatically become an extra hour of refreshing sleep, especially when children, pets or early work shifts keep their own schedules.
Fortunately, this adjustment gives us a chance to look at habits that can support better sleep all winter. Start with a dependable wake time. Try getting up at about the same hour every day, weekends included, instead of sleeping late to make up for a rough night. Allow enough time for sleep, too. Most adults need about seven to nine hours a night.
Next, bring a little daylight into your day. A short walk outside might fit into your morning routine, or try to take a quick walk during your lunch break or before an afternoon appointment. The idea is to spend some waking time outdoors rather than moving from a dim house to a car to another building.
If you consistently wake too early, ask your health care professional about the timing of light exposure. More light isn’t automatically better at every hour, and what helps one sleeper may not help another. Overnight workers face different challenges and may benefit from advice tailored to their work hours, sleep schedule and trip home.
As evening approaches, give yourself time to wind down. Dim the lights and enjoy a book, a warm shower or favorite music. Breaking news, social media and group texts can keep our minds active long after we’ve put on pajamas. Charging the phone away from the bed is a good strategy to help us resist one last scroll.
If you drink a cup of coffee with lunch or in the late afternoon, you might want to rethink that habit. Caffeine’s effects can linger for hours, and we all respond differently. If your nights have been restless, try having your last cup a little earlier and see what changes.
Consider your alcohol intake as well. A drink at the end of the day may make you drowsy at first, but it can disrupt sleep later in the night.
Regular movement can also support a good night’s sleep. Walk with a neighbor, try a few comfortable exercises in the living room or take a stretch break. If an evening workout leaves you energized when you’d rather wind down, try moving it earlier. Find an activity and time that suits your body and schedule.
If you feel a little off after the time change, a simple sleep diary may help. For the next week, jot down your bedtime, wake time, caffeine and alcohol intake, and how alert or drowsy you feel during the day. A few notes may reveal a pattern. Perhaps your wake time has crept earlier, or that late coffee is affecting you more than you realize.
Be kind to the whole household as everyone adjusts. A child who’s sleepy before dinner or a partner who’s up at dawn may need patience while routines settle. Keep evenings predictable and talk through morning responsibilities. A little planning can bring more calm to the house.
While the time change does affect us, we shouldn’t blame the clock for everything. Ongoing trouble falling asleep, frequent awakenings or daytime sleepiness deserves attention. Loud snoring, gasping or pauses in breathing during sleep are reasons to discuss possible sleep apnea with your physician. Untreated sleep apnea can affect health and daytime alertness, but effective treatments are available.
Dark evenings are part of the season, but exhaustion does not have to be. Choose one change tonight and stick with it for a full week. A steady routine gives us what that extra hour never could: the deep, restful sleep that renews us from the inside out.
Robin Stoloff is an award-winning health reporter in South Jersey. A former TV health reporter, she now hosts Living Well with Robin Stoloff, Sunday mornings at 10 am on Lite 96.9 WFPG.
