Daylight Saving Time 2015: When it Gets Dark in Huntington Woods-Berkley

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Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, which means you’ll want to turn your clocks back before you go to bed Saturday night, Oct. 31.

Though darkness will come an hour earlier, falling back in the fall is easier on the body than springing forward, according to sleep specialist and clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD.

“Believe it or not, people have an easier time adjusting to this time change than to the one in March,” Breus told ABC News last year. “That’s because we gain an hour of sleep in the fall, but end up losing an hour when we ‘spring ahead.’ ”

Breus offered the following advice:

• Don’t change your routine the night before the time changes and go to bed at the normal time. Most people are already sleep deprived, he said. Think of the extra hour as “your own little hour-long staycation,” he advised.
• Adjust your clocks before you go to bed (remember, cellphones and most computers will automatically update to the Standard Time at 2 a.m.), and keep your alarm set at your normal arising time. If you find yourself sleeping for that extra hour, it’s a good sign that you’re sleep deprived, Breus said, adding that if you wake up before the alarm goes off, you’re probably getting enough sleep.
• Don’t worry if you feel a little grumpy as the days get darker in late afternoon. Breus advises taking advantage of the extra sunlight in the morning, which may boost your mood as you start the day. If you work out in the evenings, switch the routine to the morning, and make it a point to get outside during your lunch hour.
• If you’re not back to your old self in a few days, consider a light therapy box, which can counteract the brain’s inclination to produce melatonin — the hormone secreted by the brain that makes people sleepy. Twenty minutes in the late afternoon with the blue light, which mimics sunshine, should do the trick, Breus said.

Tell Us

• What’s your trick to adjusting to the time change?

» Photo by flickr user kojotomoto