Clock Changes and Your Sleep: Why the Spring Shift Hits Hardest and How to Prepare
Sleep & NighttimeArticleThe American Academy of Sleep Medicine says the spring jump to daylight saving time brings measurable risks, including more heart problems, mood effects and car crashes, and favors permanent standard time. Until the clocks stop changing, a few days of gradual adjustment can soften the shift.
In this article
Twice a year the clocks change, and many women notice it for days afterward: trouble falling asleep, groggy mornings, or a mood dip. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has taken a clear position on why.
What the sleep experts say
The AASM says the spring switch from standard time to daylight saving time carries significant health and safety risks, including more heart problems, mood effects and car crashes.1 It also says daylight saving time is less in sync with the body’s internal clock, because light lingers later into the evening.1 The long-term effects of staying on daylight saving time year-round haven’t been well studied.1
The AASM’s position: end seasonal clock changes and adopt permanent standard time.1
Why spring is harder
Moving the clock forward means getting up an hour “earlier” by your body’s clock, while evenings stay bright longer. That combination can push your internal clock out of step.1
How to prepare for the spring change
These common sleep strategies can help you adjust:
- Shift gradually. Over three or four nights before the change, go to bed and get up 15 to 20 minutes earlier each day.
- Get morning light. Open the curtains or step outside soon after waking.
- Dim the evening. Lower lights and screens in the hour before bed.
- Keep meals and exercise on the new schedule.
- Go easy on caffeine and alcohol that week. Our guides to afternoon coffee and alcohol and sleep explain why.
- Be careful driving if you feel drowsy in the days after.
The fall change
Falling back gives an extra hour, which most people find easier. Keep your wake-up time steady and get morning light.
If you already sleep early
Many women find their sleep timing shifts earlier with age. Our guide to early evening sleepiness and early waking covers that pattern, and our article on jet lag on short trips offers similar strategies.
Try: “Every spring the time change throws off my sleep for a week. Should I adjust gradually, and is there anything else that would help?”
Did I Do That in My Sleep? includes a 14-Night Lights-Out Record and a Visit Brief. Use them to track bedtimes and wake times before and after the clock change. See the book.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. Please don't ignore professional advice or delay getting care because of something you read here. Chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden weakness or trouble speaking need emergency care at any time. Ongoing insomnia or daytime sleepiness should be discussed with a clinician. If you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. This article discusses a professional position statement and general sleep tips. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (full text via PubMed Central), 2020Daylight saving time: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement (opens in a new tab)abcde
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