03/06/2026
This Sunday the clocks spring forward, and if you've ever wondered why that one-hour shift can leave you feeling so off, here's what's actually happening.
Your body doesn't just run on the time on your phone. It runs on rhythm. Light, temperature, meal timing, movement, these are all signals that tell your internal clock what time it is. When we jump forward an hour, those signals don't shift instantly. Your biology adjusts slowly, usually over three to five days.
Going to bed a little earlier on Saturday night (and the nights after) is helpful, and I recommend it. But even so, waking up Monday morning will feel like waking up an hour earlier than your body expects, because in a real sense, it is.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, the overnight hours are governed by the Gallbladder (11pm to 1am) and the Liver (1 to 3am). The Liver in particular rules rest and emotional processing, and when we disrupt sleep timing, even by one hour, we step out of sync with these cycles. The fatigue that follows is real and makes complete sense.
From a functional medicine standpoint, the hormones cortisol and melatonin are deeply tied to light exposure. Cortisol should rise naturally with morning light, and melatonin should fall. When we shift the clock but not the light, these hormones lag behind, which is why mornings can feel foggy and evenings can feel strangely alert.
A few things that help: get outside in natural light as early as possible after waking, even ten minutes makes a meaningful difference. Or use a 10,000 LUX light lamp if you wake up before sunrise. If falling asleep earlier feels difficult, focus on starting your wind-down routine earlier rather than forcing an earlier bedtime. Keep meals a little earlier as well, since digestion is part of your circadian rhythm too. Dim your lights in the evenings starting Sunday to give melatonin the chance to rise on the new schedule.
And if you tend to wake up early naturally, this transition may actually feel smoother for you. That rhythm works in your favor this time of year.
Most of all, be patient with yourself the week following the time change.
