Here’s what you need to know about the annual ritual of “changing the clocks.”

Daylight saving time ends at 2 AM local time on Sunday, November 3. Then we “return” by moving our clocks back one hour. It marks the return to standard time. It’s a good idea to change the clock before you go to bed on Saturday night so you don’t forget.

Your mobile phone should automatically change to and from DST because it is built into the operating system. However, other clocks will need to be changed manually.

The good part? Everyone gets an extra hour of sleep that Sunday.

Generally shorter days. The end of daylight savings time moves both sunrise and sunset one hour earlier. On the East Coast, this means sunrise closer to 6:30am (at least for about a month before returning to about 7am), while sunsets shift around 4:30pm (around 4 :15 after Thanksgiving).

The sunrise on Sunday, November 3 will be at 6:20 a.m. and the sun will set earlier – at 4:35 p.m. And, accordingly, come Monday when you go to work or school, the sunrise will be at 6:21 a.m., sunset at 16:33

Daylight saving time began in the United States in 1918 during World War I (then known as “wartime”). Today, every state except Hawaii and parts of Arizona observes the tradition. The US territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands also do not follow this practice.

Because of the increased darkness in the mornings and afternoons, going back to standard time can sometimes affect our mental health and physical well-being in different ways.

According to Dr. Michelle DiBlasi, chief of psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, with less exposure to sunlight, “there are lower levels of active serotonin in our brains, which leads certain people to feel more depressed. Second, as darkness increases, people often produce more melatonin in their brains, which can make them feel more down or sluggish,” interfering with our ability to maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule.

“These hormonal disruptions can confuse the body into thinking it’s night and therefore needing more sleep and experiencing less energy,” said Dr. David Mischoulon, professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Experts say there are ways to manage this biannual transition and the inevitable winter meltdowns.

“People can make an effort to get out more because any exposure to the outdoors, even in the winter months, exposes you to sunlight, which can help,” Mischoulon said.

DiBlasi said she always recommends that people really take time to “take care of themselves” as the year winds down and the days get shorter. “Sometimes small changes in your routine can have a big impact on improving your mood,” DiBlasi said, noting that “things like eating a well-balanced, healthy diet, exercising regularly, and prioritizing a good routine before bed so you can get a good night’s sleep’ are all effective in boosting your mood.

Just as important, she said, is staying “socially connected because it can be easy to isolate in the winter months, which can make you feel worse and more lonely.”

Loss of sunlight can also affect our appetite, often taking the form of carbohydrate cravings. Mischoulon said this is often referred to as “hibernation behavior,” a desire to sleep more and burn more calories. But it’s important to get out of that phase. “The best thing is to try to get a reasonable amount of sleep consistently every day, as much as possible. Avoiding excess carbs can also help lift your mood and snap you out of a sluggish, sluggish cycle, he said.

To cope with the time change, experts said, it’s best to start adjusting to the sunlight-dark change a few days in advance, starting with consistent sleep and wake times.

Experts said you should try to get outside for at least part of the workday.

“For example, go out to lunch instead of eating at the office or in the office cafeteria,” Mischoulon said. “Even a short walk outside during the day will get you exposure to light. You can also make it a point to go out more on weekends, especially during the day where you can get some sunlight. Even a short walk can help.”

“It can be a challenge, but if you can find even 10 minute breaks during the day to get outside, that could help,” DiBlasi added.

A therapy lamp or light box might also help if you’re stuck indoors a lot, they said. “A therapy lamp can give you exposure to light of the appropriate wavelength in a controlled way,” Mischoulon said. “Typically, two sessions a day of 20 to 30 minutes each can be adequate to combat or prevent seasonal depression,” added Mischoulon, who suggested placing the lamp at your desk, “or next to your chair. preferred where you could stay. watch TV and turn it on while you’re doing other things so you can incorporate it into your normal routine.”

Mischoulon said that sometimes winter craziness can develop into something more serious, such as seasonal affective disorder, and getting an evaluation from a medical professional would be a good idea. “This may be your primary care physician, psychiatrist or other mental health clinician.”

“Seasonal affective disorder or seasonal depression is a psychiatric disorder and not simply a temporary condition known as the ‘winter blues,'” Mischoulon said. “If you are experiencing severe symptoms and/or feel impaired so that you cannot function normally at work or in your personal life, it is important to get a professional evaluation to determine if therapy is needed to help you. feel like your normal self.”

Over the past few years, the idea of ​​ending the time-shifting ritual for good has gained traction in the US.

The Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to eliminate the twice-yearly changes that permanently put the country on daylight saving time, was introduced a few years ago, but there have been challenges on its way to becoming law. Despite unanimous support from the Senate in 2022, the bill has yet to pass the House of Representatives.

More than 30 states have considered legislation to end the practice over the years.

The good thing to remember is that even though the daylight is getting shorter from now on and our days are getting shorter, we turn again on December 21st during the winter solstice. December 21st is the shortest day of the year, but after that, our days will gradually get brighter and brighter each afternoon.

Daylight saving time will return on March 9, 2025, the second Sunday of the month. Then we turn the clocks forward. A good way to remember it is to think about the arrival of spring – that’s why we “get ahead”.

Marianne Mizera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow a @MareMizera.