Spring Forward Without the Sleep Struggle: How to Survive the Time Change

Oh, spring is here! The days are getting longer, flowers are blooming and—oh, yeah—it’s time to mess with our sleep schedules again. March 9th (mark it!) is the day we set our clocks forward an hour for Daylight Saving Time. More evening sunlight is nice, but losing an hour of sleep? Not so nice.

If you’ve ever felt like a zombie the week after the time change, you’re not alone. That one hour can throw off your internal clock and leave you feeling sluggish, irritable and reaching for coffee like it’s a life raft. But don’t worry—there’s a way to make this transition easier and it starts with adjusting your sleep schedule ahead of time. Let’s talk about how to “spring forward” without feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck.

When to Start Adjusting Your Sleep Schedule

The best way to avoid feeling sleep-deprived when Daylight Saving Time arrives is to start shifting your bedtime a week ahead of time. So, around March 2nd.

Here’s the plan:

• Option 1: Gradual Shift (Best for Most People)

  Move your bedtime (and wake-up time) 15 minutes earlier each night, starting a week before the time change.

• Option 2: The Half-Hour Approach (If You Procrastinate)

  If a week of adjustments feels like too much planning, you can do a two-night transition instead. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier on March 7th and 30 minutes earlier on March 8th. It’s not as gentle as the gradual shift, but it’s better than nothing!

• Option 3: The “Oops, I Forgot” Strategy

  If you completely forget (no judgment), try to squeeze in an extra 30 minutes of sleep the night before the time change.

Sleep Tips to Help You Adjust More Easily

So, how do you actually fall asleep earlier when your body is convinced it’s not bedtime yet? That’s where a few key strategies—some borrowed from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)—come into play.

1. Stop Scrolling Before Bed

Scrolling on your phone or watching TV before bed exposes you to blue light which tells your brain it’s still daytime. Try to cut out screens at least an hour before bedtime (yes, that means resisting the urge to check TikTok “just one more time”).

2. Control Your Light

Light is the biggest cue for your body’s internal clock. To shift your sleep schedule earlier, start dimming your lights in the evening and avoid bright overhead lighting. In the morning, get outside in natural sunlight as soon as possible—this helps reset your body clock and makes waking up easier. If natural sunlight isn’t an option, consider using a sun lamp or light therapy box in the morning to mimic natural light and help your body adjust to the new schedule more smoothly.

3. Stick to a Wind-Down Routine

If you usually go to bed at 11 PM but suddenly try to sleep at 10:30, your brain will laugh in your face. Help it relax by sticking to a calming bedtime routine: read a book, listen to relaxing music or try gentle stretching. Your body will start to associate these activities with sleep, making it easier to doze off earlier.

4. Cut the Late-Night Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine can linger in your system for 6-8 hours, so try to have your last cup of coffee by mid-afternoon. And while alcohol might make you feel drowsy, it actually disrupts deep sleep, making it harder to wake up feeling rested. So, maybe skip that bedtime glass of wine (sorry!).

5. Use the Bed for Sleep

If you’re lying in bed awake, tossing and turning, your brain will start to associate your bed with frustration instead of sleep. CBT-I recommends getting out of bed if you can’t sleep within about 20 minutes. Do something relaxing in low light (like reading a boring book), then try again when you feel sleepy.

6. Be Consistent—Even on Weekends

This might be the hardest advice to follow, but being consistent with a wake-up time is key. Yes, even on Saturday and Sunday. If you sleep in too much on the weekend, it makes it harder to adjust and your body won’t be ready to shift when the clocks change.

What If You’re Still a Zombie on Monday?

Even with the best prep, Monday after the time change can still feel rough. Here are some quick survival tips:

• Get outside in the morning – Natural sunlight helps tell your body it’s time to wake up.

• Move your body – A little morning exercise can help shake off the grogginess (even if it’s just stretching or a short walk).

• Stay hydrated – Dehydration makes fatigue worse so keep that water bottle nearby.

• Avoid extra naps – As tempting as it may be, long naps can make it harder to sleep at night. If you must nap, keep it to 20-30 minutes max.

• Be kind to yourself – The adjustment takes a few days so go easy on yourself. If you’re feeling sluggish, it’s totally normal!

The Silver Lining? More Daylight!

While losing an hour of sleep isn’t exactly fun, the bright side is we get more daylight in the evenings. More sunshine means more time for evening walks, outdoor dinners and, let’s be real, less of that “ugh, it’s already dark” feeling by 5-6pm.

So, start adjusting early, use these sleep-friendly strategies and you’ll be way ahead of the game when March 9th comes around. Your future well-rested self will thank you!

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For more tips and professional support, visit www.sleep-anxiety.com. Fill out the contact form to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with Anissa Bell, LMFT, and find out if this treatment approach is right for you.