Daylight Saving Time Is Ending — What Sleep Docs Want You to Know

Daylight saving time will officially end at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when the clocks fall back one hour. Many Americans will get an extra hour of sleep as they return to standard time. People living in most of Arizona and Hawaii won’t need to change anything, since those states don’t observe daylight saving time.

If you rejoice over the extra hour of sleep each year, we hear you. But some medical experts say the time change may have unintended health consequences. Here’s why, plus some tips for easing the transition.

How Turning Back the Clock Affects Your Circadian Rhythms

Daylight hours gradually decrease during the fall and winter, but the end of daylight saving time happens abruptly. That one hour is enough to throw off your circadian rhythms, similar to the effects of jet lag.

“It can take several weeks for your circadian rhythm to adjust to the change,” says Whitney Hardy, MD, a family medicine physician at Ochsner Health Center in Gretna, Louisiana.

Clock Changes Can Increase Stroke and Obesity Risk

Seasonal “waffling” between standard and daylight saving time has been tied specifically to a higher risk of stroke and obesity, says Jamie M. Zeitzer, PhD, a research professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine.

Sticking to a single time system can strengthen the circadian clock. This may better predict wake time, which requires several biological systems to “respond to the change from lying flat for eight hours to suddenly standing,” Zeitzer says.

“For obesity, it is likely that the stronger circadian clock is better able to align your energetic needs with satiety signals,” he adds.

Accident Risk Goes Up With the Clock Change

6 Tips for Making the End of Daylight Saving Time Easier on Your Body

The good news is that you can minimize the effects of shorter days after daylight saving time ends this fall. Try following these tips:

1. Start With Basic Sleep Hygiene

Practicing healthy sleep habits is important no matter what time of year it is, says Matthew Morgan, MD, a primary care physician at Ochsner Health Center in Chalmette, Louisiana. If you’re already sticking to a consistent sleep routine, you’re less likely to be affected by the hour switch than if you’re shifting sleep and wake times from day to day.

“Relaxing activities, such as reading in a different room or going for a walk before bed, can also be of benefit,” Dr. Morgan says, as can going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, using your bed only for sleep and sex, and avoiding overdoing it on caffeine and alcohol.

The end of daylight saving time may offer a good opportunity to reevaluate your sleep habits and figure out how to improve them. “Kind of like a New Year’s resolution, [the switch back to standard time] is a good excuse to do something about your sleep,” says Zeitzer.

2. Don’t Procrastinate When It Comes to Changing the Clocks

To make the time change feel more natural, Dr. Hardy suggests setting all the clocks in your home back the night before the switch. That way, you’ll start adjusting to the new time when you wake up on Sunday, a day ahead of the start of the workweek.

3. Get Morning Sunlight for Better Mood

Getting sunlight first thing in the morning signals your body that it’s time to be awake, which helps realign your body’s circadian rhythms to the new standard time, Zeitzer says.

Getting light through your windows helps, Zeitzer says, so it may be worthwhile to reposition your desk or breakfast table, if needed.

4. Consider Light Therapy as a Stand-In for Natural Sunlight

If you typically wake up before sunrise or have trouble getting outdoors, light therapy can stand in for natural sunlight, Zeitzer says. It uses a light therapy box, a small device that emits a type of artificial light similar to outdoor light.

For maximum effectiveness, use the light box for about 30 minutes, within an hour of waking up every day. Make sure to sit about 16 to 24 inches away from the box.

5. Exercise to Boost Your Mood and Energy

Exercise releases natural feel-good chemicals in your brain that can boost your sense of well-being and help distract you from negative thoughts. It can also raise your energy levels, helping you cope with some of the fatigue that comes with the shortage of sunlight and the clock change, Hardy says.

Aerobic exercise may help lessen mood changes and depression symptoms tied to the change of seasons and the slight misalignment of the body’s internal clock. Exercise is associated with an uptick in neurotransmitters and proteins called neurotrophic factors, which are thought to ease depression symptoms.

6. Support Better Sleep With a Balanced Diet