Summary

Fall Back of Daylight Savings Time occurs on November 3, 2024. The time changes can affect people’s sleep, medical conditions, and mental health. Be proactive in preparing for Daylight Savings Time. Develop a sleep routine for good sleep all year round. Sleeping well requires a 24 hour plan to address your sleep. There are resources to help you establish good sleep habits. Talk to your mental health treatment team about how you can try to prevent mood changes in the Fall and in the Winter.

Autumn Wellbeing: Planning for Winter and Daylight Savings Time

In the Northeast, Autumn has begun and Winter is on the horizon. November 3, 2024, is the date we change our clocks back, in most states in the USA and in many Canadian provinces. Despite the call to end Daylight Savings Time, there is no consensus on how to proceed (Sleep Foundation article, September 19, 2024).

Daylight Savings Time is notably a challenging adjustment for persons with mental health issues.

Let’s consider the proactive steps which all of us can take to ensure Autumn wellbeing, planning for Winter and Daylight Savings Time.

What is Daylight Savings Time?

Daylight Savings Time is a change in our social clock. The clock that we follow as a society is based on a number of variables, one of which is the amount of daylight available during a workday and a school day. The reasons underpinning the adoption of daylight savings time as a national policy are multiple and varied.

This post is not meant to be a sociopolitical commentary of how we arrived at this juncture. Rather, let’s explore the ways we can deal with the situation, here and now. To quote a post in a construction contractors’ blog, don’t fight city hall about rules and regulations set by city hall and which affect you as an individual because city hall will fight you using your taxpayer monies.

Do not misinterpret what I just said. Certainly, each of us should not stand by when we witness injustice and abuse occurring. But, quite frankly, you do not matter; the community matters. So, do not get unhinged over a slight to your narcissistic self. Get over yourself and deal with the reality: there are social rules and regulations each of us needs to follow.

Embrace the dialectic of acceptance and change.

Then strategize on how to make things better for everyone, not just for you.

Right now, right here, Daylight Savings Time is here to stay.

Being Proactive to Promote Wellbeing in the Fall and Winter

Some people deem the Fall as a harbinger of the Winter blues, depressive symptoms which seem to emerge as the Winter approaches and settles in. As I noted in a previous post, Daylight Savings Time Spring 2024 in the Northern Hemisphere, there are some actions we can take to address the impact on our sleep elicited by the change in the social clock:

Start with a sleep routine.
Go to bed 15 minutes later.
Get up 15 minutes later.
Maintain the adjustment for a few days and then add another 15 minutes to bedtime and awakening time (go to bed 15 minutes later, get up 15 minutes later).

Establishing a sleep routine does not only mean having a bedtime routine. The moment we arise in the morning, we are impacting our sleep that night. Listen to Andrew Huberman in his podcast about a sleep toolkit to ensure healthy sleep:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2aWYjSA1Jc

Sleep: How to Get Good Sleep

Like the old saying, it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes 24 hours to make for restorative sleep.

Here are some key points from the Huberman podcast:

Awaken at the same time every day, even days when your routine does not require you to be awake early for work or school or the children. In other words, do not sleep in.
See the sun as soon as you can when you awaken: the light wavelengths of the early morning sun affect your circadian rhythm by getting you ready for activity and alertness during the day.
Turn on the lights in the house if you need to awaken before the sun rises.
Delay any caffeine intake for 30 to 120 minutes post awakening.
Exercise during the daytime. Listen to the podcast for the details about timing your exercise routines.
Consider the importance of body temperature in the morning and at bedtime and how body temperature contributes to restorative sleep.
Avoid alcohol and cannabis: they disrupt normal sleep architecture.
Make time to see the sun as it is setting: the light wavelengths affect your circadian rhythm and help you adapt and get ready for sleep.
Dim the lights in the house as the sun is setting.
Avoid the use of electronic devices after sunset.
Consider your diet: food intake, including time of food intake, affects sleep.

Autumn Wellbeing While Planning for Winter and Daylight Savings Time

Autumn wellbeing while planning for Winter and Daylight Savings Time: this statement is not a composite of contradictions. It is possible to experience wellbeing in the Fall and to plan for wellbeing in the Winter despite wintry weather conditions and despite Daylight Savings Time.

Yes, the data demonstrate the adverse effects of this biannual change in the social clock (American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement). Some of the data derives from claims data. Some of the data is more robust in terms of scientific methodology. Regardless, we have to deal with this social policy, as much as we have to accept taxes. By planning now, we may adjust more easily.

If you are someone who experiences mood changes during the Fall and/or Winter, speak with your mental health treatment team about preparing to manage your symptoms during those seasons. They can work with you on developing a treatment plan that could save your life.

Take-Aways: Autumn Wellbeing, Winter Wellbeing, and Beyond

Resources are available to improve your sleep, even as you navigate Daylight Savings Time.

There are strategies you can implement to promote restorative sleep, during the seasonal changes from Fall to Winter and all year round. Take a listen to Andrew Huberman’s podcast.

Start now. November is around the corner. Be proactive in your quest for Autumn Wellbeing that continues right through the Winter.

Be safe. Be well. Be optimistic. This will be a wonderful Winter if we all work towards taking care and promoting our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of our communities.

If you are feeling like hurting yourself or someone else, please call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your mental health provider.

Selected References:

Huberman, A. (August 8, 2022). Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing. Huberman Lab Podcast #84. Accessed online on September 29, 2024, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2aWYjSA1Jc

Rishi, M.A., et al. (January 1, 2024). Permanent standard time is the optimal choice for health and safety: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Sleep Medicine, Volume 20, Issue 1. Accessed online on September 29, 2024, at https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.10898

Suni, E. (September 19, 2024). Latest Updates: Daylight Savings Time in 2024. Sleep Foundation. Accessed online on September 29, 2024, at https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/latest-updates-daylight-saving-time-legislation-change