Simple Home Changes Can Offset Negative Time Change Effects

Last weekend’s time change caught me by surprise. I’ve been so fully focused on my trip this coming weekend and a major book project that I completely forgot we were “falling back” an hour on Sunday morning. I was also caught by surprise at its effects on my energy levels, which got slammed. I don’t remember them being so dramatic in years past. Age can increase sleep issues, according to numerous articles like this one from Forbes.com. The good news is if you’re dragging tail this week like me, there are things you can do to minimize the impact. First understand that what you’re feeling this week is not unusual.

Time Change Effects

“It can take five to seven days for your body to adjust to the time change,” shared Portland, Oregon-based occupational therapist Nicole Villegas in an email. “The time change disrupts your circadian rhythm,” she added, explaining this concept as an internal clock influenced by the sun’s path and light synchronizing your body’s activities with day and night. “It makes sense that we must consider it thoughtfully as we ‘fall back’ and seem to have brighter mornings and darker afternoons. A one-hour change may not seem like a lot but it is shifting major biological activities in your body.”