3/8 - Springing Forward with Intention: How to Care for Your Mind During the Spring Time Change
Springing Forward with Intention:
How to Care for Your Mind During the Spring Time Change
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may recall that I wrote a post in the Fall, about the "Fall Back" Time Change. So, I decided it just made sense to write a post discussing the "Spring Forward" Time Change. And what a perfect time since, on the day this is published, it is the first day of Daylight Savings Time.
Most states in the United States (with the exception of a few) change their clocks twice a year - once in Spring and once in the Fall. Each year, when the clocks move forward an hour for Daylight Saving Time, we technically “lose” an hour of sleep. And while many people look forward to longer evenings and the promise of spring, many people also dread that loss of an hour of sleep, especially if they already feel like they don't get enough. For many, the transition itself can feel surprisingly disruptive.
From a therapist’s perspective, the Spring time change isn’t just about the clock. Even a one-hour shift can affect your sleep, mood, focus, and emotional balance. If you’ve ever felt unusually tired, irritable, or mentally foggy after the change, you’re not imagining it — your nervous system is adjusting. But I also find that the Spring time change can provide our minds and bodies with a sense of new beginning and hope. The days are longer, the weather is nicer, and it's just easier to feel more....positive, hopeful.
But no matter how you feel about the time change, here are some helpful tips on ways to care for your mind and body as you spring forward.
1. Respect Your Sleep (Even More Than Usual)
Losing an hour of sleep can feel small, but your body notices. You may feel groggy or grumpy.
Our internal clock — your circadian rhythm — thrives on consistency, and sudden shifts can temporarily throw it off.
To help manage this sudden change, try this for the week following the time change:
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Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day - As best as possible, set an alarm to wake up and go to bed at the same time each day. This allows your body to get the same amount of sleep each night and to be used to a sleep/wake routine. Shoot for 7-8 hours of sleep.
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Avoid late-night screen use when possible - Scrolling on your phone or playing late night video games can be hazardous to your health. It impairs your sleep quality and duration by delaying the onset of sleep, reducing your melatonin levels, and increasing cognitive arousal. The blue light from electronic devices tricks the brain into staying awake. In fact, studies show that even one hour of screen time at bedtime can cause a 59% high risk of insomnia. And the combination of light exposure and mental stimulation leads to fragmented, lighter, less restorative sleep.
Keep your evening routine calm and predictable - When you ensure a calm and predictable evening routine, it lowers your stress (cortisol), signals your brain that it is time for rest & restoration, and it regulates your circadian rhythm for improved quality of sleep. Consistent sleep leads to better mood regulation, memory, and overall cognitive function.
- Some tips to create a calm routine are:
- Set a "Screen Curfew" - avoid blue light from electronic devices for about an hour prior to bedtime.
- Dim the lights - lower ambient noise and dim the lights to signal your body that it is time to wind down.
- Consistent Timing - stick to a set bedtime, even on weekend.
- Relaxing Activities - incorporate relaxing activities such as reading, journaling, light stretching, or a warm bath to help transition to sleep
If you feel extra tired, give yourself permission to go to bed earlier - some days are just rougher than others or take more out of you. When you feel extra tired, it's often your body's way of telling you that you need a little more rest.
Instead of pushing through your exhaustion, think of this week following the time change, as a gentle adjustment period. Your body will catch up — but it needs your help & cooperation.
2. Use Morning Light to Reset Your Internal Clock
Light is the strongest signal for your brain to reset its rhythm. It is our natural way to know that it's time to wake up.
Within the first hour of waking:
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Step outside for 10–15 minutes if possible - it's important to get some sunlight and Vitamin D, as well as some fresh oxygen to start your mind and your body. If weather doesn't permit, then consider getting a sun lamp that mimics the sunlight or simply open your blinds, shades, and curtains.
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Open your blinds immediately - don't wait until your first cup of coffee or after you get out of the shower. Open your blinds right away to begin getting any sunlight. This triggers your brain and body to wake up and start functioning.
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Sit near a bright window while you drink your coffee or start your day - are you seeing the theme. Get as much natural sunlight as possible throughout the early part of your morning. And, in fact, if you start to get a little sluggish later in the day, consider stepping out into the sunlight for a few minutes, to re-trigger your body's rhythm.
Morning light helps your brain understand, “This is the new schedule now,” which improves alertness during the day and sleep at night.
3. Expect a Temporary Dip in Mood or Focus
After the Spring time change, many people notice:
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Increased irritability - coming from the loss of an hour of sleep. And when the time changes, we usually don't account for the change and end up shorting ourselves of more than just one hour of sleep.
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Afternoon fatigue - again, our bodies can sense the difference and that hour catches up to us in the afternoon. Be prepared for this fatigue and plan for it by getting up and moving your body, going outside from some fresh air and sunlight, or eating a small, protein rich snack.
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Brain fog - this happen to some, but not all people. Again, your brain, just like your body, is trying to adjust to the new schedule and new daylight hours. Give yourself some grace and perhaps don't schedule heavy focus meetings or tasks during the first few days to a week after the time change.
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Lower motivation - like with the brain fog, prepare for this possibility and plan simpler tasks and meetings during the time of least motivation. Save your bursts of energy and motivation for heavier, more significant tasks.
This isn’t a personal failure — it’s a biological adjustment. Don't forget that.
During this transition week, lower the pressure on yourself:
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Simplify your schedule if you can - keep your schedule a little lighter, if possible and if you're not able to do that, then plan for frequent breaks to get fresh air and sunshine.
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Build in short breaks - any breaks where you can get up and move your body, even if it's just stretching at your desk, will help. If possible step outside and get a few minutes of Vitamin D, through the sunshine, and get some fresh air (oxygen) for your brain.
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Stay hydrated and eat regularly - it's amazing how something this simple can make such a big difference in your mood, brain function, and body fatigue. Staying hydrated is always good and can help you decrease the chance of headaches. Eating regularly, meals and snacks, helps keep your blood sugar stable, decreasing the chance of your body and mind crashing.
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Move your body, even with a short walk
When you adjust your expectations, you protect your mental energy instead of draining it. Plan ahead whenever possible.
4. Support Your Nervous System with Small Anchors
Transitions, even small ones, create stress for our nervous system. The best response is consistency and predictability. I know it sounds boring, but trust me, you'll be thankful you tried it.
Helpful anchors include:
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Regular meal times - your body works best on a consistent schedule, including meals. Keeping to a schedule helps regulate hormones and blood sugar levels, helping you stay at the top of your game. And small, protein-rich snacks are helpful in between meals, too.
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Daily movement - Science and doctors will repeatedly tell you the importance of daily movement. I recommend walking, since it's the easiest to do and you can do it anywhere, anytime, even if you just walk in place. Walking is often one of the most overlooked exercise routines we can do. It will help with fatigue, mood, brain, functioning, and even weight loss and muscle strengthening.
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A calming evening routine - like I mentioned above, having a calm, relaxed evening routine is helpful. While the entire evening may not be calm, especially if you have children, it's important wind down the last part of your day with a relaxing routine.
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Staying socially connected - by staying socially connected, your ventral vagal branch of your parasympathetic nervous system is activated. This promotes a feeling of safety, lowers blood pressure, modulates your heart rate, and reduces cortisol (the stress hormone). Staying socially connected also helps keep the brain active, which enchances cognitive performance and reduces the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's. Maintaining positive relationships act as a buffer against stress, triggering the release of the "feed good" neurotransmitters, like dopamine and oxytocin.
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Brief moments of stillness, prayer, journaling, or deep breathing - I regularly recommend these types of activities because they can be done quickly and can be done anywhere, without anyone even knowing. But anytime that we can slow ourselves and our pace down, focus on what's around us, and regular our breathing, the calmer our nervous system will become.
Small rhythms send your brain a powerful message: You are safe. Things are steady.
5. Reframe the Change as a Fresh Start
There’s something symbolic about “springing forward.” Spring naturally invites growth, renewal, and new energy. I know I look forward to "springing forward" every year, even with the loss of an hour of sleep. There is something enjoyable and hopeful and the feeling of having more hours in the day. Being able to spend more time in the sunlight feels good, mentally and physically. And the more hopeful we feel, the more likely we are to think positively.
Use this time change as a gentle check-in and ask yourself the following questions:
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What habits do you want to bring into this new season?
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Where do you need more structure around sleep or rest?
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What would help you feel more energized and present?
Sometimes a small external shift is the perfect cue for an internal reset. Don't look at the time change as something negative, but instead use it as a way to take inventory of where you are and where you want to be, mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
6. Be Patient with Your Family (and Yourself)
Children, teens, and even adults often take several days to adjust. You might notice:
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Bedtime resistance - for young children, they don't always understand the concept of the time change, especially this time of year, when they are often being put to bed while the sun is still out. With this in mind, consider if there is anything you need to say or do differently to minimize the resistance.
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Morning sluggishness - again, we literally lost an hour of sleep. It's inevitable that we will feel a bit sluggish in the morning for at least a few days. As long as you remember that and don't expect too much from yourself, you should be able to get through it fairly easily.
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More emotional sensitivity - anytime our body's routine is altered, even just by one hour, it make a huge difference in our levels of emotional sensitivity. Be sure to be aware of this and give some extra grace to those around you.
Instead of pushing harder, lean into consistency and compassion. Earlier wind-down routines, dim lights in the evening, and calm mornings can make a big difference. Have the whole family participate in these early wind-down routines, so that everyone can adjust more easily.
🌱 A Gentle Reminder
Even small transitions affect our minds and bodies more than we expect. If you feel a little off after the Spring time change, nothing is “wrong” with you — your system is simply recalibrating.
Give yourself a few days. Slow down where you can. Protect your sleep. Let the longer daylight become something you gradually grow into.
Every season — even one that starts with a lost hour — offers an opportunity to reset your rhythms, care for your nervous system, and move forward with greater intention.
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If you're interested in couples or individual counseling, please visit my website and schedule a free 15 minute consultation - www.mustardseedchristiancounseling.com.
I provide online individual and couples counseling throughout California, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Florida.
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