6 Excellent Tips You Need To Survive the End of Daylight Savings Time and Avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder

On November 6th at 2 am Daylight Savings Time ends. That means shorter days and longer nights for a while. Although most people love the time when we “fall back”, I struggle with it more than I do the time change in spring. Not only does it make me feel more tired than before, but the early nights can also affect my mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is something I struggle with every winter unless I am making choices that will help me. Here are some of the choices that have helped me be mentally sound and energized throughout the winter.

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Adapt to the End of Daylight Savings Time By Keeping a Normal Sleep Schedule

Since you’re getting an “extra hour of sleep” it may be tempting to go to bed an hour later. This is only going to harm you in the long run because it will make it harder to get used to the new time change. Go to bed at your normal time and get up at your normal time for an easier transition.

Use a Sleep Mask if Needed

If you have more time in the morning to sleep or you work 2nd shift, consider getting a sleep mask. It gets brighter earlier after we fall back so a sleep mask will help you stay asleep longer if you don’t need to get up early in the morning.

Shift Your Schedule to Have More Time in the Morning to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder

Now that we are going to be having shorter days with less light, it’s crucial to get some sun rays in during the day. The morning before work is an excellent time to do that. Make your lunch the night before and streamline your routine to get outside for a walk. Another great tip is taking a 15-minute break in the afternoon to get a walk in.

Get a Sunlamp To Help with Shorter Days From Daylight Savings Time

I live in an apartment with only one window. It can be very difficult for me in the winter to get enough sunlight. Every Winter I seem to struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder at some point. Light Therapy from a sunlamp helps when I can’t get enough light. They used to be so industrial looking and unsightly, but now there are so many cute ones that will just blend in with your home decor.

Take a Vitamin D supplement

As a vegan who lives in Michigan, Vitamin D is a very important supplement for me to take. During the spring and summer months, most people can get enough sunlight for their bodies to make Vitamin D, but the shorter days and darker clothing worn during the winter make that more challenging. Most experts agree that most people over the age of 4 should be taking a Vitamin D supplement during the Fall and Winter months

Avoid Blue Light Before Bed

We all know that the blue light that comes from our computers and phones messes with our natural sleep cycles. A little bit of blue light is fine and actually beneficial in avoiding Seasonal Affective Disorder. But Blue Light two hours before bed can affect your sleep cycle more during the colder months because of the lack of natural sunlight. Luckily most of our electronics these days have settings to block out the blue light on our phones and computers so we don’t have to sacrifice our sleep on those days we have big projects to do. Blue light-blocking glasses also help.