Navigating the Fall Time Change: Protecting Your Wellbeing When the Days Grow Shorter

When the clocks “fall back,” we’re technically gaining an hour of sleep — yet somehow, many of us feel more tired, foggy, or off-balance than refreshed. The earlier sunsets, darker mornings, and shifting routines can quietly influence our mood, motivation, sleep, and even our social rhythms and routines.

This seasonal transition is more than an inconvenience — it’s a physiological and psychological shift. But the good news? With mindful strategies, compassion for ourselves, and intentional routines, we can adapt and even thrive through this time of year.

Let’s explore some ways to support both mental and physical wellbeing as we move into shorter days and longer nights.

Understanding What’s Happening in the Body

Our bodies run on an internal clock — the circadian rhythm — which regulates sleep, mood, hormones, and energy levels. This rhythm relies on light exposure to stay in sync. When daylight decreases, a few key changes occur:

Serotonin levels drop, which can affect mood regulation and increase risk of seasonal mood changes.
Vitamin D levels decline, especially in northern regions, impacting both mental and physical health.
Sleep cycles shift, sometimes leading to insomnia, fragmented sleep, or oversleeping.

You’re not imagining the “seasonal slump.” It’s biology meeting environment — and awareness is the first step toward balance.

1. Embrace the Light — Morning Sunlight Is Healing

One amazing antidote to darker days is seeking out as much natural light as possible, especially in the morning. Light exposure within the first 30 minutes of waking helps boost serotonin and regulate cortisol, boosting alertness and stabilizing mood.

Try this:

Open blinds immediately upon waking — let natural daylight flood in.
Step outside, even for 5–10 minutes. Morning light signals your brain that it’s “daytime,” helping reset your body clock.
Consider a light therapy lamp (10,000 lux) if you wake before sunrise or work indoors all day. Use for 20–30 minutes in the morning while journaling or eating breakfast. Be sure to check with your provider prior to use given this device is not for everyone.

🔗 Learn more: Mayo Clinic: Light Therapy Benefits

2. Reset and Protect Your Sleep Routine

The end of Daylight Saving Time can disrupt sleep patterns more than we realize. Our bodies often need up to a full week to adjust.

Sleep-supportive strategies:

Gradual Adjustment: In the days before and after the time change, shift bedtime and wake-up times by 15 minutes to ease transition.
Digital Curfew: Turn off screens 30–60 minutes before bed. The blue light interferes with melatonin production.
Create a Wind-Down Routine: Soft lighting, gentle stretching, or a warm bath can cue your body for rest.
Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet. Weighted blankets and white noise machines can enhance restfulness.

Try this: Practice a breathing pattern before bed such as “4-4-4-4 breathing” — inhale 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4, repeat — to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm your mind.

🔗 Learn more: How to Prepare for the Start and End of Daylight Saving Time

3. Move Your Body (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It)

Movement is one of the most powerful ways to counteract seasonal sluggishness. Physical activity boosts endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin — all of which enhance mood, focus, and energy.

Seasonal Movement Tips:

Morning or Midday Movement: Get light exposure while exercising to double the benefits.
Try Indoor Alternatives: Yoga, pilates, resistance bands, or even a dance video can lift energy.
Nature Walks or “Forest Bathing”: Studies show spending time in nature lowers cortisol, blood pressure, and symptoms of depression.
Micro-Movements Count: Stretch breaks between meetings, a few squats while your coffee brews — it all adds up. Try habit stacking to help fold in functional movement into your daily routine!

🔗 Learn more: American Psychological Association: The Exercise Effect

4. Nourish Your Body and Mind with Seasonal Foods

As daylight decreases, the body craves warmth and grounding — this is both emotional and nutritional. Support yourself by leaning into fun, nutrient dense, seasonal foods that support mood and energy.

Nutrient highlights for fall:

Complex Carbs: Sweet potatoes, squash, oats, and quinoa may help promote serotonin production.
Omega-3s: Found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed; these have been shown to support brain health and reduce inflammation.
B Vitamins: Leafy greens, lentils, and fortified grains play crucial roles in energy metabolism and when intake is insufficient, fatigue may result.
Vitamin D: Supplement or include sources like eggs, mushrooms, and fortified milk which are especially important when sunlight exposure is limited. Adequate vitamin D supports bone health, immunity and may support mood.

Try this ritual: Cook at least one warm, nourishing meal each week that feels like comfort and care — soups, roasted veggies, or oatmeal with cinnamon and apples. Food is fuel, but it’s also grounding self-care, fun, and great for building connection and community with others.

5. Stay Connected and Create Social Warmth

As days shorten, many people unintentionally isolate — especially when fatigue or lower mood creeps in. But connection is a protective factor for mental health.

Connection-based wellbeing strategies:

Plan regular check-ins with friends or family (virtual or in-person).
Join a support or recovery group.
Combine connection with movement — meet a friend for a walk, coffee, or community event.
Talk with a mental health provider, coach, and/or a healthy support system. You are not alone.

If you need help now:

Call or text 988 to connect with the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7/365).
Connect with the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline's Online Chat: https://chat.988lifeline.org/
NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)

6. Support Emotional Regulation Through Mindfulness and Grounding

Fall and early winter often heighten introspection as the year begins to come to an end. Use this season to strengthen your emotional awareness rather than resist it.

Helpful practices:

Daily Mindfulness: Even 5 minutes of noticing breath, sounds, or sensations can calm the nervous system.
Journaling: Reflect on energy shifts, gratitude, or affirmations. Writing helps process emotions and find clarity.
Grounding Techniques: Try naming 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste when you feel overwhelmed.
Breathwork: Intentional breathing activates the vagus nerve, supporting calm and emotional balance.

Explore more: Our Calming Breath Digital Resource includes 30 guided exercises to help restore calm and balance throughout the day.

7. Create Cozy Rituals of Rest and Reflection

The natural world slows down in autumn — trees shed their leaves, animals prepare for rest — and yet, humans often speed up as the holidays approach. What if we took nature’s cue?

Reframe the season as a time to:

Reflect on what you’ve learned this year.
Let go of what no longer serves you. (habits, clutter, pressure)
Create soothing rituals: reading by candlelight, sipping decaf herbal tea, gratitude journaling, or gentle stretching before bed.
Embrace “slow living” — fewer to-do’s, more presence.

Reminder: Rest is not laziness and it is not something you earn. It’s essential maintenance for mind, body, and spirit.

8. Seek Professional and Community Support

If you notice persistent sadness, irritability, loss of interest, or low energy lasting two weeks or more, you may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or a seasonal mood pattern. You are not alone, and support is available. Even if you are not noticing any changes to your mental health, having a healthy support system is always a great tool to activate.

Steps to take:

Talk with your healthcare provider about symptoms — light therapy, counseling, or medication may help.
Reach out to a trained therapist, coach, or counselor.
Incorporate structured routines that support consistency and connection.
Explore recovery and wellbeing resources tailored to your needs.

Helpful links:

Closing Reflection: Fall as a Teacher of Balance

Fall reminds us that change, though sometimes uncomfortable, is part of the cycle of growth. The time change and shorter days don’t have to mean loss — they can signify invitation. An invitation to slow down, reconnect, reflect, and re-center around your wellbeing.

So light a candle, sip your decaf tea, and know this: you don’t have to chase the sunlight to shine. You carry light within you — and with a little care, you can nurture it all season long.