The end of daylight saving time is right around the corner (November 5, to be exact), and although adjusting to the one-hour change shouldn’t be difficult in theory—especially when it means you can sleep an extra hour—everyone knows the feeling of being totally thrown off this time of year.
That’s because even just a one-hour difference can wreak havoc on your body’s internal clock. All the processes your brain has synced to certain times (like your sleep schedule) get thrown out of rhythm, which results in that groggy, out-of-whack feeling most people experience each fall and spring.
Needless to say, disrupting your body’s internal routines does not usually bode well for your wellness routines (see: feeling more like crawling into bed than heading to a spin class when it’s pitch dark at 6 p.m.). Luckily, there is something you can do to prepare your body so the change doesn’t feel as drastic.
“Daylight savings can negatively affect fitness and wellness routines, from reduced daylight to disrupted sleep patterns, but the key to reducing these effects is to be intentional, proactive, and prepared,” says Nike Well Collective trainer