Daylight Savings Time can sometimes feel like you’ve jet-set across time zones without leaving your house. For most people, the struggle is real and there can even be a sense of gloom, lack of motivation, and a drop in energy. Instead of letting this disrupt your week, use it as an opportunity to reinforce good habits that can lead to improved energy, mood, and overall wellbeing.

Here are three key tips to help you prioritize your activities for the week after Daylight Savings Time and come out feeling better than ever.

1. Support Your Circadian Rhythm

This week, use natural light to your advantage, especially first thing in the morning. Morning light exposure helps reset your internal clock to the new time, which can improve your sleep, mood, and alertness. Prioritize this early in the week to set a positive tone for the following days.

Catch the sunrise (instead of looking at your phone first thing in the morning), take a short walk during your lunch break or early afternoon, gaze out of a window during a break, or workout outside or near a window.

This week, I will commit to taking an afternoon walk to get some sunshine to help give me a boost of Vitamin D, so I can finish my workday feeling energized.

Week-Long Strategy: Schedule “light exposure” breaks every morning for the week after DST. Even five minutes can be beneficial.

2. Keep to a Schedule

Consistency is key to helping your body adapt. By keeping to a schedule, you’re reinforcing your body’s natural rhythms, which can lead to better sleep and more stable energy levels throughout the day.

Maintain consistent sleep, meal, and exercise times throughout the week. Your internal clock thrives on routine, so sticking to a schedule can help minimize the disruptive effects and help you to feel more balanced.

This week, I plan to stick to my “wake up and do yoga” routine instead of hitting the snooze button. This is a routine that helps me start my day and will help me to feel grounded this week.

Week-Long Strategy: Set reminders and stick the same time for waking up, bedtime, mealtimes, and workouts. Aim to have dinner around the same time each night, and if you’re a coffee drinker, have your last cup before 2 p.m. to avoid any impact on your sleep. (Oh and drink lots of water this week!)

3. Prioritize Relaxation

Stress and tension can increase while you are adjusting to time changes. (I literally just had a minor meltdown yelling “How is it already so dark outside!) But leaning into relaxation practice, can help to counteract the doom and gloom.

For me personally, I use this shift of the season to take an evening bath with candles and essential oils to start my nighttime routine. This week, I am going to try to also limit my phone use by 9PM and do night time mediation to help me ensure that I am able to wind down with ease and sleep soundly through the night.

Week-Long Strategy: Dedicate at least 15 minutes in the evening to a relaxation practice. This could be as simple as deep breathing exercises, a warm bath, or listening to calming music. Make it a non-negotiable part of your evening to promote better sleep.

By focusing on these three areas this week, you will do more than survive Daylights Savings Time, you’ll be setting yourself up for a more energized, balanced, and productive week.

While this can be a bit of a adjustment, it can also present a perfect opportunity to revisit and refine your daily routines for the better. Happy adjusting!