I used to treat the spring time change like a surprise every year — as if it had not been on the calendar since January. I would lose an hour of sleep and spend the whole week feeling like I had mild jet lag, wondering why Monday felt so much harder than it should.

Then I started preparing for it three days in advance. The difference was dramatic. I woke up Monday morning feeling basically normal instead of like I had been hit by a bus.

The Three-Day Adjustment

Go to bed 20 minutes earlier each night for the three nights before the change. That gets you to a full hour by Sunday. It is not a big ask — 20 minutes is skipping one YouTube video. Waking up 20 minutes earlier helps too, but the bedtime shift matters more. Most people are sleep-deprived already, so an extra 20 minutes of sleep is just catching up on what you already need.

Sunday Morning Light Exposure

Get outside within 30 minutes of waking up on Sunday. Morning sunlight is the single strongest signal to your brain’s internal clock. Ten minutes of direct outdoor light — not through a window, not with sunglasses — resets your circadian rhythm faster than anything else. It tells your brain “this is morning now” even though the clock says it is an hour earlier than your body expects.

What Makes It Worse

Caffeine after 2 p.m. Alcohol before bed — it helps you fall asleep but ruins sleep quality. Saturday night heavy dinners keep your metabolism running when your body should be winding down. Skip the late pizza and the nightcap on Saturday. Sunday morning you will be glad you did.

Nap if you need to on Sunday but keep it under 20 minutes. Longer naps push your bedtime later and make Monday morning harder, not easier.