Ready or not, it's that time of year again. We fall back this weekend for the end of Daylight Saving Time.
At 2:00 a.m. Sunday you’ll set your 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.
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Even though we'll gain an hour, it can throw your body's rhythm off 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 could also lose natural vitamin B which improves your mood and all of it can be compounded by seasonal depression.
“A lot of times people feel think that [depression] is because of the holidays, that they're feeling so sad, but it may actually be because of the season, the weather, and the lack of sunlight that we're getting and the fact that our days are shorter,” said Denitrea Vaughan with Thriveworks Counseling of Grand Prairie. "So then to shorten those days is like, oh my gosh, it's dark already. You know, it's like I have to get all this stuff done in the day. And so it can it can raise stress levels. It can create anxiety."
Vaughan also suggested getting outdoors more.
HOW CAN YOU OFFSET '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: Make your environment brighter by opening blinds and sitting closer to windows. You can even use a light box to mimic natural outdoor light in the morning.
- Get outside: Take a long walk outside or sit outdoors to soak up 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 each day.
