Daylight and Depression: How to Keep the Time Change From Bringing You Down

The act of moving the clock twice a year (spring forward, fall back) has launched a thousand memes. However, unbeknownst to most people, the shifts from standard time to daylight saving time (DST) and back can have serious health consequences. Possible side effects — at either or both times of year — can include anxiety, depression, and thoughts of self-harm.

It’s not necessarily that DST or standard time are direct causes. Rather, mental health professionals posit that the time change can exacerbate existing issues. For example, a 2017 study found that the semi-annual time shifts coincided with an 11 percent increase in hospital visits for depression.

Why Would Changing Your Clock Impact Your Mental Health?

As is often the case with situations like this, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific cause-and-effect dynamic. Two main theories have been developed and proposed, so let’s explore those.

Altered Sleep Schedules

This theory centers around our circadian rhythms — the 24-hour internal clock we all have. Your circadian cycle regulates when you feel alert and when you feel sleepy. It does this by detecting changes in the amount of light in our environment. Obviously, changing our external clock can confuse our internal clock. Even a shift as small as one hour can have a significant effect on moods and our susceptibility to anxiety.

Reduced Exposure to Sunlight

Of course, changing your clock will also change when you witness sunrises and sunsets. In the “fall back” phase, this typically reduces one’s exposure to sunlight. Less sunlight is a well-documented cause of lower moods. Consider this artificially imposed cycle:

• We move the clock back and lose an hour of afternoon sunlight.
• Naturally, we then spend less time outdoors in sunlight.
• Since we experience positive changes when we’re outdoors in sunlight, our brain undergoes negative changes when faced with a lack of sunlight.
• On top of that, spending more time indoors often leads to being more sedentary.

How to Keep the Time Change From Bringing You Down

Be Very Mindful of Your Sleep Habits

For everyone at any time of year, there are vast benefits to maintaining consistent sleep patterns. If you’re getting to bed at a reasonable hour every night, the time adjustment should go smoothly. In return, it gives you more time to eat a nutritious breakfast and perhaps even get some exercise.

Most of all, there’s the extra morning sunlight to experience! The simple act of seeking out early sun can instantly lower your sleepy hormones while raising your alert hormones. So, please think seriously about going for a morning walk, doing outside exercise or meditation, and drinking your coffee in the sun.

Limit Caffeine Intake to A.M. Hours

That coffee or tea can seriously mess up your sleep cycles as you’re trying to adjust to DST.

Skip the Afternoon Nap

Occasional napping can be one of life’s pleasures. But if you sense the time change is pushing you toward a depressed state of mind, keeping regular sleep habits is more beneficial than an afternoon nap.

Set an Evening Curfew For Screen Time

Those sneaky tech companies designed your devices to keep you in a state of high alert (thank you, blue light). Therefore, you must set a time for when you power down your phones and computers and ease into a calming bedtime routine.

Talk to a Professional

As mentioned above, the change from DST to standard time and back can worsen depression that is already present. This is not something that self-help tips will fully address. A trained therapist can help you manage seasonal depression. I invite you to reach out soon to learn more about depression treatment.