By Dr. Melisa Arias-Valenzuela, C. Psych.
If you’ve been feeling foggy, irritable, unusually tired, or just a little “off,” you’re not imagining it. The time change can genuinely disrupt your brain and body.
Even a one-hour shift can throw off your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates your sleep, energy, mood, and focus. When that rhythm gets disrupted, it can affect more than just bedtime (Morin & Espie, 2007). You might notice:
– Trouble falling or staying asleep
– Waking up feeling unrested
– Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
– Increased irritability or low mood
– Feeling wired at night but tired during the day
Our brains thrive on consistency. When light exposure, meal timing, and sleep schedules suddenly shift, your system needs time to recalibrate.
Why It Feels Harder Than “Just One Hour”
Sleep isn’t simply about how long you’re in bed. It’s driven by two main systems (Borbély, 2022): your sleep drive (how tired you are) and your circadian clock (when your brain expects sleep). The time change can temporarily misalign those systems.
Add in late winter fatigue, ongoing stress, or existing sleep challenges, and that one hour can feel like much more. The good news? There are ways to support your brain through the transition.
Gentle Ways to Reset Your Sleep
If the time change has thrown you off, consider:
– Getting outside in natural morning light as early as possible
– Keeping a consistent wake-up time (even if the night wasn’t perfect)
– Avoiding long daytime naps
– Creating a wind-down routine that signals “sleep is coming”
– Limiting clock-watching if you wake during the night
Most importantly, try not to panic about a few disrupted nights. Worrying about sleep often fuels the cycle.
When Sleep Struggles Stick Around
For some people, the time change doesn’t just cause a temporary blip, it highlights an ongoing struggle with insomnia, light sleep, or racing thoughts at night.
That’s where structured support can make a real difference.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) is considered the gold standard treatment for chronic sleep difficulties (Morin et al., 1994). Rather than relying on medication, CBT-i works by helping you realign your sleep drive and circadian rhythm, shift unhelpful thought patterns about sleep, and build sustainable habits that improve rest long term.
This March (2026), Amélie Vézina, PhD(c) & Mackenzie Bacon will be offering a virtual CBT-i group. They bring extensive experience in this area and are currently offering free screening sessions to ensure the group is a good fit. If the time change has highlighted ongoing sleep challenges for you, this could be a supportive next step.
Sleep impacts everything, mood, focus, stress tolerance, and overall wellbeing. If your brain feels a little scrambled right now, it doesn’t mean something is wrong. It may just need structure, consistency, and support to recalibrate.
As we move into longer, brighter days, this can be a meaningful time to reset your relationship with sleep and give your nervous system the steady rhythm it’s been craving.
Want to join our group? Book your free screening call here!
Curious, learn more about the CBT-i group here!
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