Daylight Saving Time Ended: How to Reset Your Sleep

Clocks in most of the United States moved back one hour on Sunday, November 1, ending daylight saving time for the year. The extra hour of sleep is welcome, but many people still feel off for several days as their body clock catches up with the new schedule.

Your body follows an internal clock, often called the circadian rhythm, which is guided mostly by light. When the clocks change, mornings become brighter and evenings get dark earlier. Even a one-hour shift can make you wake up earlier than usual, feel tired in the late afternoon or have trouble staying awake at the time you used to go to bed.

A few simple habits can help. Step outside or sit near a window soon after waking, because morning light helps set your body clock. Go to bed and get up at the same times each day, including weekends, so your body learns the new pattern. If you feel sleepy early in the evening, move bedtime by 15 to 20 minutes a night rather than all at once.

It also helps to avoid coffee, tea and energy drinks in the afternoon and evening, and to keep the bedroom calm and dark with less screen time before bed.

Shift workers, people with young children and those who already sleep poorly can find the change harder. Older adults and people with health conditions should keep their regular routines for medicines and meals.

Most people settle within a few days to a week. If you continue to feel exhausted, struggle to sleep for weeks, or feel very low, speak to a doctor. This article is general information and not medical advice.

Source: General sleep-health guidance; daylight saving time ended in the US on November 1, 2026.