What you need to know about the ‘fall-back blues’ when daylight savings time ends – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Ready or not, it’s that time of year again. We fall back this weekend to the end of daylight saving time.

Sunday at 02.00 you set the clock back one hour.

We get more daylight in the morning hours, but the sun sets earlier, and that can mean shorter tempers for some.

Experts say the so-called “fall-back blues” aren’t just in your head.

Even if we gain an hour, it can throw off your body’s rhythm as we enter the shortest days of the year.

Experts say the loss of sunlight affects your body’s production of mood-regulating hormones like serotonin and melatonin. You can also lose natural B vitamins, which improve your mood, and this can all be made worse by seasonal depression.

“A lot of times people think (depression) is because of the holidays that they feel so sad, but it can actually be because of the season, the weather and the lack of sunlight that we get and the fact that our days are shorter,” said Denitrea Vaughan with Thriveworks Counseling of Grand Prairie. “So to shorten those days is like, oh my god, it’s already dark. You know, it’s like I have to get all these things done during the day. And then it can, it can increase the stress level. It can create anxiety. “

Vaughan also suggested getting outdoors more.

HOW CAN YOU OFFSET THE ‘FALL-BACK BLUES’?

Experts at the Mayo Clinic Say there are a few things you can do to try to offset how the time change affects your mood.

• Light therapy: Brighten your environment by opening the blinds and sitting closer to the windows. You can even use a light box to mimic natural outdoor light in the morning.
• Get outside: Go for a long walk outside or sit outside to enjoy the sun.
• Get regular exercise: Physical activity can help relieve stress and anxiety and lift your mood.
• Normalize sleep patterns: Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day.