When Daylight Saving Time ends in 2024, how will you handle the change?

Here's what you need to know about the annual “time change” ritual.

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 3rd at 2 a.m. local time. Then we “fall back” by setting our clocks back an hour. It marks the return to standard time. It's a good idea to change your clock on Saturday night before you go to bed so you don't forget.

Since this is built into the operating system, your phone should automatically switch to daylight saving time. However, other clocks have to be changed manually.

The good thing about it? This Sunday everyone gets an extra hour of sleep.

Generally shorter days. The end of daylight saving time shifts sunrise and sunset one hour earlier. On the East Coast, that means sunrises will be closer to 6:30 a.m. (at least for about a month before falling back to around 7 a.m.), while sunsets will be closer to 4:30 p.m. (around 4:15 p.m after Thanksgiving).

Sunrise on Sunday, November 3rd will occur at 6:20 a.m. and the sun will set earlier – at 4:35 p.m. And accordingly, next Monday, when you go to work or school, the sunrise will be at 6:21 a.m. Sunset at 4:33 p.m

Daylight Saving Time began in the United States in 1918 during World War I (then it was known as “War Time”). Today, every state except Hawaii and parts of Arizona adheres to this tradition. The US territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands also do not adhere to this practice.

Due to increasing morning and afternoon darkness, the transition to winter time can sometimes impact our mental health and physical well-being in different ways.

According to Dr. According to Dr. Michelle DiBlasi, director of inpatient psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, with less sun exposure, “there is a lower level of active serotonin in our brain, which causes certain people to feel more depressed.” Second, as darkness increases, people often produce more melatonin their brain, which can make them feel more depressed or sluggish,” affecting our ability to maintain a consistent sleep-wake cycle.

“These hormonal imbalances can confuse the body so much that it actually thinks it's nighttime and therefore feels the need to sleep more and feel less energy,” said Dr. David Mischoulon, professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Experts say there are ways to deal with this semi-annual transition and the inevitable winter doldrums.

“People can make an effort to get out more because any time outside, even in the winter months, exposes you to sunlight, which can be helpful,” Mishoulon said.

DiBlasi said she always recommends people really take the time to “take good care of themselves” as the year comes to an end and the days get shorter. “Sometimes small changes in your routine can have a big impact on improving your mood,” DiBlasi said, noting that “things like a balanced and healthy diet, regular exercise, and prioritizing a good bedtime routine so you have a good one Get in the mood. “Good night’s sleep” are all effective in lifting your mood.

Equally important, she said, is “staying socially connected, because in the winter months it can be easy to become isolated, which can make you feel worse and more lonely.”

Loss of sunlight can also affect our appetite, often in the form of carbohydrate cravings. Mishoulon said this is often referred to as “hibernation behavior,” a desire to sleep more and accumulate more calories. But it's important to break out of this rut. “The best thing is to try to get a reasonable amount of sleep every day as much as possible. Avoiding excessive carbohydrates can also help elevate mood and get you out of a groggy, sluggish cycle, he said.

To cope with the time change, experts say it's best to start adjusting to the change in sunlight and darkness several days in advance and start with consistent sleep and wake times.

Experts say you should try to get outside for at least part of the workday.

“For example, go out to lunch instead of eating lunch at your desk or in the office cafeteria,” Mishoulon said. “Even a short walk outside during the day brings you into contact with light. You can also make it a goal to get out more on the weekends, especially during the day where you'll be exposed to the sun. Even a short walk can help.”

“It can be challenging, but taking even just a 10-minute break during the day to go outside could help,” DiBlasi added.

A therapy lamp or light box could also be helpful if you're often stuck indoors, they said. “A therapy lamp can expose you to light of the appropriate wavelength in a controlled manner,” Mishoulon said. “Typically, two sessions a day of 20 to 30 minutes each can be enough to combat or prevent seasonal depression,” added Mischoulon, who suggested placing the lamp at your desk “or next to your favorite chair to sit on.” “Watch TV and keep it on while you do other things so you can fit it into your normal routine.”

Mischoulon said sometimes the winter doldrums can develop into something more serious, such as seasonal affective disorder, and that it's a good idea to get checked out by a doctor. “This may be your primary care physician, psychiatrist, or another mental health professional.”

“Seasonal affective disorder, or seasonal depression, is a psychiatric disorder and not just a temporary illness known as the 'winter blues,'” Mischoulon said. “If you notice serious symptoms and/or feel impaired such that you cannot function normally at work or in your personal life, it is important that you seek professional assessment to determine whether therapy is necessary to help you help you feel like yourself.”

In recent years, the idea of ​​finally ending the time change ritual has gained traction in the United States.

The Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to eliminate the twice-yearly time change by permanently switching the country to daylight saving time, was introduced several years ago, but there were challenges along the way to its passage. Despite unanimous support in the Senate in 2022, the bill still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives.

More than 30 states have also considered legislation to end the practice over the years.

The good thing is that on December 21st, during the winter solstice, we will turn the corner again, although from now on the daylight will become even weaker and our days will become shorter and shorter. December 21st is the shortest day of the year, but after that our days gradually get brighter and brighter every afternoon.

Daylight saving time returns on March 9, 2025, the second Sunday of the month. Then we set our clocks forward. A good way to remember this is to think of the arrival of spring – hence we “leap forward.”

Marianne Mizera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @MareMizera.