Wirecutter - How to survive daylight saving time

Your daylight saving time survival guide

An illustration of eyes with clocks in them.

Dana Davis

In the US, daylight saving time (DST) will start tomorrow at 2 a.m. (Wait, why do we change the clocks, anyway?) Waking up and falling asleep can be hard enough as it is—the added challenge of darker mornings, brighter evenings, and jet-lag-like symptoms can make sleeping that much more difficult.

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The DST shift is more than just that, though: By moving one hour of daylight from the morning to the evening, you’re disrupting your circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle that’s governed by your body’s internal clock.

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Here are some concrete steps you can take to mitigate the effect that DST has on you, and many of them are habits that lead to good sleep year-round.

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Try relaxation aids

A photo showing some of our relaxation aid recommendations, like an eye mask and a white noise machine.

Michael Murtaugh

Turning in earlier than usual is likely to require some active effort and planning. Implementing things that will help you relax as you get ready for bed can help. A weighted blanket can feel like a giant hug easing you to sleep. A white noise machine can mask intrusive sounds that may be keeping you awake. And you might try a meditation app with programs specifically designed to lull you to sleep.

Control light

A photo of blue light blocking glasses on an orange background.

Sarah Kobos

Because daylight saving time shifts an hour of sunlight later in the day, you should control the amount of light in your room as you settle in for bed. Use an eye mask or blackout curtains to block out light.

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Relatedly, blue light specifically interferes with the body’s circadian rhythms because blue wavelengths during the day boost mood, attention, and reaction times—all things you need to quiet down as you’re getting ready for bed. Cutting down on screen time and wearing blue light glasses may help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down for the day.

Set the temperature just right

A photo of a smart thermostat on a blue background.

Michael Hession

Temperature is another trigger for sleep. The optimal bedroom temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. One way you can fool your body into sleepiness is to adjust the temperature a little earlier in the night. If you have a smart thermostat in your home, you can program it to start cooling down your home (or just the room you sleep in) at earlier hours in the evening. Taking a hot bath or shower before bed can also drop your body temperature quickly and send your system into sleep mode.

Work on your wake-up

Dana Davis

To combat the groggy darkness of mornings during DST, the best thing to do is to get light into your room as soon as possible. You can do this by using a sunrise alarm clock, which can shine a dawn-like light directly into your sleepy face.

If getting up is a major problem, it could be that you’re attempting to wake up during the worst part of your sleep cycle—deep sleep, as opposed to lighter REM sleep. To address this, you might try using a sleep-tracking app, which can monitor your sleep cycles and wake you at an optimal moment. Or try these 8 expert tips for waking up on time.

Get outside and get moving

A photo of dumbells and earbuds on a green background.

Kyle Fitzgerald

One way to get your body clock in tune with the sun is to simply get out into the light. A good dose of sunlight, even if it’s just for 15 minutes first thing in the morning, can help your body wake up and reset for the day ahead.

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Exercise is a great tool, too. It resets your circadian rhythm and promotes a smoother sleep and wake schedule. A 2019 study showed that exercising either at 7 a.m. or between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. advances the body clock, which makes it easier for you to start your day earlier. We have all the exercise gear you could ever need here.