It’s that time of year again. This past Sunday, we turned the clocks back one hour. While that extra hour of sleep is more than welcome, the dark days and long nights as we “fall back” to standard time can have a big impact on your health and wellness.
Standard time lasts until March 14. That’s 133 days—a long time to be in The Big Dark, as folks in the Pacific Northwest call the winter gloom. Hawaii and Arizona are the only states in America that don’t adjust their clocks. But just because those states use standard time year-round, that doesn’t mean they don’t experience the dark of winter.
There’s a lot of debate over whether we should or shouldn’t observe Daylight Saving Time. Even astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has an episode of StarTalk where he dives into the practice of changing the clocks forward or back.
Setting that aside and looking at some good old-fashioned Earth Science, the change in daylight hours over the course of a year is caused by the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the sun.
The Earth rotates on its axis 360° every 24 hours, creating day and night, and the axis is tilted 23.5°, creating the four seasons. As the Earth orbits the sun, the planet's northern and southern hemispheres are exposed to different amounts of sunlight at different times of year. For approximately half the year, the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, creating longer summer days. For the other half of the year, it's tilted away, creating shorter winter days.
Setting the clocks forward an hour takes advantage of the evening daylight in the spring and summer. Setting the clocks back an hour takes advantage of the morning daylight in fall and winter.
According to CBS News, “The move effectively "saves" an hour of daylight from the morning and adds it to the evening during the spring and summer months when the days are the longest. In the fall and winter months, when the days are shorter, the U.S. returns to standard time, with daylight coming earlier in the morning.”
Changing the clocks adjusts our perception of time, not the actual amount of hours in a day.
So, what can you do to keep your spirits and energy up until we “spring forward”? Here are three simple habits you can implement into your daily routine. Not only will these help you through the dark days of winter, but they’re good routines all year round.
The brain has a master clock that is set by exposure to sunlight and darkness. That circadian clock affects more than sleep. It also influences our mood, energy, heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones, and metabolism.
Go for a walk with your morning coffee.
Adjust your commute by a stop or two, or park further away, so you can stretch your legs and get some fresh air.
Take a mid-morning or mid-afternoon break to get outside and reset. Block off lunchtime on your calendar and treat it as a standing meeting with yourself that even your boss can’t override.
Pro Tip: Coordinate your afternoon break with sunset time. Something about watching the day transition to night makes the dark more peaceful and even magical.
Less daylight after work or school can be an excuse to skip the gym. Try changing when you work out and/or what exercises you engage in.
If you usually exercise after work or school, shift your workout to the morning before tackling the day. A bit of yoga or free weights will change your mood for the rest of the day.
Working out in the afternoon or evening can boost energy late in the day and disrupt sleep. Shift to lighter activity that focuses on flexibility, rather than cardio.
Take advantage of the cooler temperatures and morning light with a run or brisk walk while the weather’s good.
Remember that mid-morning or mid-afternoon break we mentioned? Use it for some chair squats, wall push-ups, jumping jacks, or standing marches in place.
Pro Tip: Schedule an Assisted Stretch session with one of Level’s trained professionals who will help move your body through a range of motion to achieve deeper, more effective stretches than you could typically do on your own.
About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. get less sleep than the recommended 7-9 hours each night. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, obesity, and numerous other problems.
Go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day; even on weekends.
Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.
Limit alcohol and caffeine in the evening.
Eliminate the use of phones, laptops, or other electronic devices before bed.
Create a calming bedtime routine to help transition the brain from an active mindset to a peaceful one.
The end of Daylight Saving Time can affect us emotionally and psychologically as well as physically. People living with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression usually linked to the shorter days and less sunlight, may struggle during the fall and winter. If you’re living with SAD, experiencing any mental health concerns, or simply want to talk with someone, contact your therapist or doctor.
If you don’t have a therapist, are ever in crisis, or just need someone to talk to about life's challenges, call or text 988 to connect with a caring, trained counselor. The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7/365. All conversations are free and confidential.