Adjusting to time change is easier to plan for than to fix overnight. If you have a few days’ notice, you can gradually move your sleep schedule toward the new clock time, get daylight after waking and keep a regular wake time. These are reasonable ways to support your routine, not proven ways to prevent all short-term sleepiness or disruption.
Adjusting to Time Change: What Can Help?
When clocks move forward, local time jumps ahead by an hour; when they move back, it repeats an hour. Your daily commitments may change instantly, while your body clock responds to light and darkness over time. Some people notice the shift more than others, and a difficult night does not mean you have done anything wrong.
A 2025 systematic review by Andrea Romigi and colleagues examined 27 studies of people aged 6 to 85. It found that the move to daylight saving time, particularly in spring, was associated with shorter or poorer-quality sleep and increased sleepiness. Effects appeared more evident in evening chronotypes—people who naturally tend to sleep and wake later. The reviewers also noted that inconsistent methods and other influences make firm conclusions difficult.
A broader 2026 review by Aiste Steponenaite and colleagues assessed 157 studies from 36 countries on clock changes and health. It found mixed patterns overall and said there were too few clear findings to draw firm conclusions about many sleep outcomes and circadian rhythms. Taken together, these reviews suggest that some people do experience short-term sleep disruption, especially after the spring change, but they do not establish that every person will be affected or that one routine works for everyone.
Shift Your Schedule Gradually If You Have Time
In the days before the change, you could move bedtime and wake time a little at a time toward the schedule you will need afterward. For the spring move forward, that means gradually aiming earlier by the clock; for the autumn move back, later. Moving both times helps you avoid cutting sleep short just to match a new bedtime or alarm.
This is a practical option, not a strategy proven to prevent disruption in large trials. Research has not established the best amount to shift each day or how far in advance to start. If the change catches you by surprise, there is no need to force an abrupt adjustment several nights beforehand: return to your usual routine and use the new local time when planning sleep.
Use Light and a Steady Wake Time as Cues
Light helps set the timing of your body clock. Getting outdoor daylight after waking can support alertness and give your day a clear starting cue. In spring, though, your usual morning may be darker after the clock moves forward, and daylight timing varies with season and location. A 2024 mathematical model by Mengzhu Xu and colleagues predicted that changes in evening light can be an important driver of adjustment, with people who naturally sleep later taking longer on average to adapt. Because this was a model, not a trial comparing sleep plans in people, it cannot say which light routine will work best for you.
Keep evenings dimmer where practical and try to wake at a consistent time on following days, while leaving enough opportunity for sleep. These habits fit what is known about light and daily timing, but studies have not confirmed that morning light or a steady wake time alone will erase the effects of a clock change. You can read more about what daylight-saving changes can do to sleep if you want a closer look at the broader effects.
Check Your Local Clock-Change Dates
Seasonal clock changes are not universal, and the dates differ by region. In 2025, they were used in most European countries and most of the United States, as well as a few Australian states; many places do not change their clocks. Northern and Southern Hemisphere seasons also fall at opposite times of year. Check your local calendar or official time guidance before making plans, especially if you are travelling or scheduling across borders.
If sleepiness is making driving or safety-sensitive work difficult, take that seriously and avoid pushing through when you can. If sleep problems persist beyond the short adjustment period or are causing significant difficulty, speak with a health professional.
