Daylight saving time is ending soon – and the change can have an impact on your health. Here's how to prepare before the clocks go back.

Daylight saving time is soon coming to an end, and although the start of daylight saving time in the spring is associated with more negative health consequences – such as a higher risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and depression – the clocks are “reset”. “November also brings with it some negative health consequences. Here's your guide to the end of daylight saving time – and how to cope with the time change.

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When does daylight saving time begin and end?

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 3rd, when we “fall back” and gain an extra hour of sleep. We get an hour more daylight in the morning, but lose an hour of daylight in the evening.

Next year, Daylight Saving Time will begin again on Sunday, March 9, 2025, when we “spring forward” and lose an hour of sleep. In the evening we gain an hour more light, but in the morning it becomes darker.

A Brief History of Daylight Saving Time

Daylight saving time was introduced in the United States in 1918 to save energy during World War I. However, studies have shown that it doesn't actually save much energy.

Some have credited founding father Benjamin Franklin with the idea of ​​a seasonal time change after he suggested regulating time in a satirical essay, but the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia has disputed this. Contrary to popular belief, farmers also did not support daylight saving time; In fact, agricultural groups called for a repeal of daylight saving time in 1919, saying the biannual changes would disrupt their daily work routines.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 got most of the country on the same page by changing national start and end dates to daylight saving time, although states were still allowed to opt out.

Who doesn't participate in daylight saving time?

These US states and territories have decided not to change their clocks twice a year:

How the end of daylight saving time affects your health

Switching to winter time in November can feel easier than switching to daylight saving time in March. After all, we gain an extra hour of sleep, right? But experts say there are still negative consequences for our health.

• The sleep rhythm is disturbed. Shelby Harris, psychologist and head of sleep health at Sleepopolis, told Yahoo Life that an extra hour of sleep can still lead to sleep problems. “Sleeping an hour more in the fall can cause us to wake up early in the morning and be unable to get back to sleep at night,” she explains.

• The risk of stroke increases. A 2016 Finnish study found that moving the clock forward or back by one hour temporarily increased the risk of ischemic stroke – the most common type of stroke caused by a blood clot blocking blood flow to the brain – probably due to the disruption of circadian rhythms (also known as “our body’s internal clock”).

• Depression is increasing. A 2016 Danish study found that diagnosis of depression increases “immediately after the onset” of wintertime in the fall. Some of this may be related to the onset of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which affects about 5% of the U.S. population and is triggered by shorter, darker, and colder days.

• Car accidents are on the rise. A spokeswoman for AAA's Auto Club Group told the Associated Press that earlier afternoon sunsets led to darker driving conditions in the evening and a higher number of accidents on the road.

How to prepare for the time change

Here are some expert tips on how to make the fall time change more bearable.

• Adjust your sleep and wake times gradually. Natalie D. Dautovich, an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and an environmental scientist at the National Sleep Foundation, told Yahoo Life that she suggests increasing the times you go to bed and wake up by 15 minutes on the days before daylight to postpone Time saving end – so it's not such a big shock to your system when the clocks change by an hour.

• Establish a good bedtime routine. An established bedtime routine can signal your body that it's time to wind down and make it easier to adjust to the time changes. Judy Ho, a licensed clinical and forensic neuropsychologist, told Yahoo Life that you should have a calming evening routine that includes putting away all electronic devices, especially blue light devices. Harris also recommends avoiding any exercise, heavy meals, caffeine or alcohol immediately before bed.

• Get plenty of sunlight during the day and in the morning. At night and before it's time to wake up, keep your room dark with the curtains closed so you can sleep an hour longer. When it's time to get up, give yourself plenty of sunlight. Jamie Zeitzer, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, urged Yahoo Life to avoid exposure to bright light as quickly as possible. “Going out early in the morning and getting enough light – that helps you start the new era more quickly,” says Zeitzer. According to one study, getting enough sunlight every day could also prevent depression and reduce your risk by up to 20%. If natural sunlight isn't an option, try light therapy or a sun lamp, which can improve mood and sleep quality at night.

• Stick to your new sleep and wake times. After the time change, be consistent and stick to your new wake-up and bedtime times and avoid naps during the day.