Twice a year, we shift the clocks. And every time, it disrupts sleep, energy, and metabolism. But it doesn’t have to!
As we move into Daylight Savings Time (DST), many people struggle with grogginess, cravings, poor sleep, and metabolic shifts that can linger for weeks. The reason? Your circadian rhythm—your body’s internal clock—is being thrown off.
The good news is that with a few simple shifts, you can sync with the seasonal transition rather than fight against it. In fact, Daylight Savings Time can be an opportunity to optimize your sleep, metabolism, and energy for the months ahead.
Why DST Feels So Hard on Your Body
Your circadian rhythm is regulated by light, food, movement, and temperature—all of which shift with the changing seasons. When the clocks move forward, your body isn’t instantly on board.
For many, this misalignment leads to:
- Poor sleep quality and grogginess
- Increased hunger and cravings
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Cortisol spikes at the wrong time
- Mood swings and energy crashes
Instead of fighting Daylight Savings Time, you can work with it by using circadian biology to help your body adapt smoothly.
Syncing Your Body to the New Season
Start the Day with Light
Morning sunlight is the #1 way to regulate your body clock. If you take nothing else from this, take this: get outside first thing in the morning.
Natural light signals your brain to start producing cortisol (in a good way!), boosts serotonin, and helps set melatonin production for later in the evening. This makes your body more resilient to time changes and seasonal transitions.
⏳ What to do: Spend at least 10-20 minutes outside within 30 minutes of waking. No sunglasses, no windows—just real sunlight. Even if it’s cloudy, the benefits are there.
🧠 Why it matters: Without morning light, your body lags behind the clock shift, leaving you feeling sluggish, wired at night, and hungry at odd times.
Reinforce Your Rhythm with Food
Your first meal of the day plays a major role in circadian signaling—right behind light exposure.
When you eat sends just as strong a message to your body as what you eat. A protein- and fat-rich breakfast helps anchor your metabolism in the new rhythm, keeping blood sugar stable and preventing mid-morning crashes.
🥑 What to eat: Prioritize protein, healthy fats, and minimal sugar or refined carbs. Think eggs, smoked salmon, avocado, nuts and nut butters.
⏰ When to eat: Aim to eat within an hour of sunrise and keep meal timing consistent over the next few weeks to help your body adjust.
Circadian Fasting: Use Seasonal Eating to Your Advantage
Circadian fasting aligns your eating patterns with your body’s internal clock, adjusting meal timing based on seasonal daylight shifts. In the fall and winter, when daylight is shorter, a compressed eating window (8-10 hours) helps align metabolism with decreased energy demand and melatonin production. In the spring and summer, when daylight extends, a slightly longer eating window (10-12+ hours) supports increased activity and metabolic flexibility. By eating in sync with natural light cycles, you can improve blood sugar control, digestion, and overall metabolic health.
🔥 How to do it:
- In winter and fall, shorten your eating window to 8-10 hours, finishing meals well before sunset.
- In spring and summer, widen your eating window to 10-12+ hours, allowing for slightly later meals when light exposure lasts longer.
- Prioritize larger meals earlier in the day when insulin sensitivity is highest.
- Avoid eating after dark, as digestion slows and melatonin rises.
🌞 Why it works:
- Optimizes metabolism by syncing food intake with natural insulin fluctuations.
- Supports seasonal hormone balance by working with melatonin and cortisol rhythms.
- Enhances digestion and gut health by aligning mealtimes with circadian enzymes.
- Prevents weight gain and inflammation by avoiding late-night eating when metabolism slows.
By adjusting your eating window with the seasons, you make the transition into spring easier while reinforcing long-term metabolic health
Use Movement to Reset Your Internal Clock
Movement—especially in the morning—sends another powerful time signal to your body. If you want an easy way to shake off the grogginess, walk outside within two hours of waking.
🚶♀️ Benefits of a morning walk:
- Morning light exposure helps regulate cortisol and melatonin, making the DST transition easier.
- Stabilizes blood sugar, reducing cravings and energy dips.
- Improves sleep quality by reinforcing your circadian rhythm.
💡 Bonus tip: If you can, go barefoot on the ground (grounding) to further support your nervous system and circadian health.
Use DST as a Reset, Not a Disruption
Instead of seeing Daylight Savings Time as a burden, think of it as an opportunity to reset your rhythm and optimize your health for the new season.
By getting morning light, shifting meal timing, incorporating circadian fasting, and moving early in the day, you’ll transition smoothly and set yourself up for better sleep, energy, and metabolism.
And if you’re someone who always dreads DST? Try these strategies this week before the time change—you might be surprised at how much better you feel.
