How to Prepare for a Daylight Saving Time Shift

The best way to prepare for a daylight saving time shift is to move your sleep schedule gradually before the clocks change, then use light to reset your body clock afterward. Shift bedtime and wake time by 15 to 20 minutes a day for a few days, get morning daylight, dim evening lights and protect your total sleep.

This guide is for adults, parents and anyone whose mood or sleep feels fragile around the clock change, including people managing anxiety, depression or insomnia. It covers both the spring and fall changes, gives a step-by-step plan, a checklist for families, and signs that sleep or mood problems need professional attention.

When do the clocks change?

In most of the United States, clocks move forward one hour in spring and back one hour in fall. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) explains that daylight saving time begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

NIST also notes that some places do not observe daylight saving time, including Hawaii and most of Arizona. Time-change rules can change, so check the NIST page each year if you are unsure.

Why does a one-hour change feel so big?

A one-hour change feels big because your internal clock does not move when the wall clock does. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) explains that light has the biggest influence on circadian rhythms, and the brain's master clock controls melatonin based on the light your eyes receive.

When clocks jump, your light schedule changes overnight, but your body clock takes days to catch up. That gap explains why the first few mornings feel groggy and why falling asleep at the new bedtime can be hard.

The good news is that the same principle works in your favor. Because light is such a strong signal, deliberately timing bright light in the morning and dim light in the evening is one of the most effective tools you have. Regular meals, activity and wake times add smaller but useful signals that help the body clock settle on the new schedule.

Is the spring shift harder than the fall shift?

For many people the spring shift is harder because it takes away an hour and asks you to wake earlier than your body expects. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) links the spring change to higher risk of heart attack and stroke and more traffic accidents in the first few days.

The fall shift adds an hour, but it can still unsettle sleep and mood, especially when darker evenings arrive. The AASM supports ending seasonal time changes in favor of permanent standard time, which it says better fits the body clock.

How do you prepare for the spring daylight saving time shift?

Prepare for spring by going to bed a little earlier for several nights before the change. The AASM recommends that you shift bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night for a few nights beforehand.

1. Four nights before, move bedtime and wake time 15 to 20 minutes earlier.
2. Keep moving them earlier by the same amount each night.
3. Set your clocks to the new time on Saturday evening and go to bed at your normal bedtime.
4. Get outside for sunlight on Sunday morning.
5. Dim the lights in the evening for the first several nights.
6. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep as an adult, and eight for teens, before and after the change.

How do you prepare for the fall shift?

Prepare for fall by moving bedtime 15 to 20 minutes later each night for a few nights, unless you are already short on sleep. The AASM advises that people with chronic insufficient sleep should avoid shifting bedtime later before the fall change, and that you should minimize light exposure until your target morning wake time.

After the change, the earlier sunset can make evenings feel long. Plan an enjoyable evening activity, keep dinner at a regular time and resist the urge to go to bed very early, which can lead to waking before dawn.

What daily habits help your body clock adjust?

Steady daily habits help your body clock adjust faster. MedlinePlus recommends going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, avoiding naps after 3 p.m., limiting afternoon and evening caffeine, and getting sunlight during the day.

• Keep wake time steady on weekends during the week of the change.
• Eat meals at regular times on the new schedule.
• Move your body during the day, ideally outdoors.
• Switch screens off about 30 minutes before bed, as the CDC suggests.
• Avoid alcohol and large meals close to bedtime.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that adults ages 18 to 60 need at least seven hours of sleep each night.

What checklist helps families with kids and teens?

A short family checklist keeps everyone on the same plan. The AASM recommends eight hours of sleep for teens around the time change, and children often adjust more smoothly when routines start shifting a few days early.

• Start moving bedtime 15 to 20 minutes a day, three or four days ahead.
• Keep the bedtime routine the same: bath, book, lights out.
• Open curtains and get outside in the morning after the change.
• Use blackout curtains if spring evenings are still bright at bedtime.
• Expect a few cranky days and plan a lighter schedule if you can.
• Watch teens' late-night phone use, which can undo the shift.

Should you nap, use caffeine or try melatonin?

Short, early naps and modest morning caffeine are usually fine, but late naps and late caffeine can make the daylight saving time shift harder. MedlinePlus advises avoiding naps after 3 p.m. and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and evening.

Some people consider melatonin. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) states that melatonin appears to be generally safe for short-term use in most adults, but supplements can interact with medicines and health conditions. Talk with your health care provider or pharmacist before using it, and ask before giving any supplement to a child.

Be careful on the road. The CDC has noted that shift workers and people with irregular schedules are at higher risk of drowsy driving. If you feel very sleepy the Monday after the change, arrange another way to get to work.

Can the time change affect mood and anxiety?

Yes. Shorter or disrupted sleep can make anxiety, irritability and low mood feel stronger for a few days. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains that seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, and some people notice their mood dip as days get shorter in fall.

Example: a hypothetical adult who manages anxiety well most of the year may find that a short night after the spring shift brings back racing thoughts at work. Planning the daylight saving time shift ahead, and lowering demands that week, can soften that effect.

When should you get help for sleep or mood problems?

Get help when sleep problems last more than a couple of weeks after the change, or when mood changes interfere with daily life. NIMH notes that seasonal depression involves a recurring pattern, so mention it if you notice the same dip every year.

• Trouble falling or staying asleep most nights for two weeks or longer.
• Daytime sleepiness that makes driving or work unsafe.
• Low mood, hopelessness or loss of interest that lasts two weeks or more.
• Increased use of alcohol or other substances to sleep or cope.
• Any thoughts of suicide or self-harm, which need help right away through 988 or 911.

What should Texans know about the time change?

Texas is not among the places NIST lists as skipping daylight saving time, so most Texans change their clocks twice a year. Late spring and summer evenings in Texas can stay bright and warm well into bedtime, which makes dim lights, cool bedrooms and blackout curtains especially useful after the spring change.

Lyte Psychiatry offers telehealth visits to patients who are physically located in Texas at the time of the visit. That can make it easier to talk with someone about sleep or mood without adding a drive during an already tiring week.

Getting support in Texas

Lyte Psychiatry offers therapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management in Texas. In-person visits are available at Lyte Psychiatry's clinic in Pantego, in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Most new patients are seen within 1–2 business days. Weekend appointments are limited. All Lyte Psychiatry services are available in Spanish. Availability, insurance and clinician fit require confirmation before your first visit.

When you contact the practice, it helps to have your main concern, your preferred visit type and where you will be during visits ready, so staff can check availability and fit more quickly.

Related reading: how to reset your body clock after falling back, what to track in a sleep diary, CBT-I for insomnia and seasonal depression as days get shorter. Learn about therapy at Lyte Psychiatry or Texas telehealth.

If you are in a mental-health crisis in the United States, call or text 988. Call 911 for immediate danger.

Educational information, not a diagnosis or individual treatment plan.