Turn Back the Clock, Prioritize Rest

On November 1st, we turn back the clocks and gain an hour. Before filling it with another task, consider making room for rest. The time change is more than a chance to sleep in; it’s a reminder that quality sleep deserves a regular place in caring for your mental and physical health.

Sleep supports memory and helps regulate mood, appetite and stress. Too little rest can affect focus, patience and impulse control, and is linked to anxiety and depression. Poor sleep and mental health challenges can reinforce each other, making rest a priority.

Even a one-hour time change can disrupt your internal clock, which regulates alertness and sleepiness. Your body may need several days to adjust.

Here are some ways to ease the time change and protect your sleep:

• Shift bedtime and wake time by 15–20 minutes in the days before the switch.
• Get morning sunlight to help reset your internal clock.
• Keep a consistent wind-down routine as evenings grow darker.

Keep consistent sleep and wake times, even on weekends, and avoid large meals, alcohol, and screens before bed. Sleep supports a healthy mind, so use this fall’s extra hour as a reminder to make rest a priority. Download the bulletin for more details.