On Saturday, the sun sets in Berlin at 5:52 pm. The next day, it sets at 4:50 pm. The sky stays the same, but most of Europe goes back an hour overnight. Most of the US does the same on November 1.

What?

Most studies people mention about changing the clocks focus on spring. A2024 meta-analysis of 12 studies found that heart attacks were about 4% more common in the weeks after clocks moved forward. When clocks go back, there was no clear change.

The autumn numbers look better. ABMJ study checked the health records of 683,809 people in England during the clock changes from 2008 to 2019. In the week after clocks went back, doctors recorded fewer cases than in the weeks around it: depression was 4% lower, anxiety 3% lower, acute cardiovascular events 2% lower, and sleep disorders 8% lower. These numbers are based on when doctors recorded each case, which might not be the day symptoms started. Areview of 157 studies from 36 countries, published in February, found no consistent effect of clock changes on mental health.

One study found something different. InDenmark, hospital visits for depression went up by 11% after clocks went back, but this increase faded over about 10 weeks. The authors thought the sudden earlier sunset could be the reason. All these studies are observational.

So what?

My take: don’t stress about the hour. It’s just one night, and for most of us, it’s the easier change since we get an extra hour.

The time we return to on Sunday is standard time, the one sleep-and-body-clocksocieties want year-round.

I suggest planning for what happens after the switch. By December 12, the sun in Berlin sets at 3:52 pm and doesn’t rise until 8:08 am. You might commute in the dark, spend all day inside, and commute home in the dark, so it’s possible to go all week without seeing daylight. The grey Berlin winters really affect my mood, so I take this seriously.

The solution is in your calendar.

Now what?

  • Keep your wake time on Monday. Set the alarm for your usual clock time.
  • Schedule time outside for daylight, just like you would book a meeting. Try to get outside around lunch every workday, since by December, that might be the only daylight you see between two dark commutes. Take a walk during a call, and choose a length you can stick with.
  • If winter affects your mood, try using a UV-free light box at breakfast. I wrote about my experience with one on October 11. For people diagnosed with winter depression, light boxes worked better than placebo in 19 small randomized trials. If you have bipolar disorder, an eye condition, or take medicines that make you sensitive to light, talk to your doctor first.
  • Know when to seek help. If you feel low most days for two weeks or more, or lose interest in things you usually enjoy, it’s time to see a doctor.

Stay healthy.

Andre