How Your Diet Can Help You Navigate the Clock Change with Ease
As Americans prepare to turn their clocks back this weekend, many will experience that familiar grogginess that comes with the shift in daylight saving time. While gaining an extra hour of sleep might sound like a blessing, this seemingly small change can disrupt our body’s carefully calibrated internal clock, leaving us feeling jet-lagged and out of sync. The good news? What you eat in the days following the time change can significantly impact how quickly your body adjusts. Experts are now highlighting the connection between our diets and our ability to weather these seasonal transitions with minimal disruption to our energy, mood, and overall wellbeing.
The time change affects us more deeply than many realize. Though it’s just one hour, this shift can throw off our circadian rhythm—the internal 24-hour clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycle based on light and dark cues. According to Tufts University researchers, many people already struggle with sleep deprivation, making them particularly vulnerable to this disruption. The resulting symptoms mirror jet lag: fatigue, unexpected hunger pangs, metabolic slowdown, and even mood swings. Some populations feel these effects more acutely than others, including shift workers, children and teenagers, older adults, those with existing sleep or heart conditions, and frequent travelers who regularly cross time zones. As Neelofer Basaria, a Texas-based public health expert explains, “Our internal circadian rhythm, which is monitored by light, meal timing and hormone release, can fall behind by several days when we change our external clocks. It’s not fun for our body.”
Starting your day with a protein-rich breakfast can make a world of difference in how you adapt to the time change. Robin DeCicco, a certified holistic nutritionist based in New York City, emphasizes that balanced meals containing protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats provide sustained energy throughout the day. This approach stands in sharp contrast to consuming sugary, refined carbohydrates, which create a rollercoaster of energy spikes followed by crashes. A breakfast featuring eggs, yogurt, or nut butter helps stabilize blood sugar levels, enhances alertness, and signals to your body that it’s time to be active and awake. This protein-forward strategy is particularly effective during the first few days after the time change when your body is working to recalibrate its internal clock. The protein not only fuels your brain and muscles but helps regulate the hormones that influence your energy levels throughout the morning hours.
When it comes to evening habits, timing matters just as much as food choices. Health experts recommend adjusting your dinner schedule slightly earlier for the first few nights after the time change. Basaria notes that “since our circadian system also uses food intake as a timing signal, eating meals at regular times or shifting dinner a bit earlier for the first three to four nights can help the brain reestablish the body’s clock.” Pairing this earlier dinner with a lighter meal and a consistent evening routine of dimmed lights creates powerful cues that help your body recognize when it’s time to wind down. Research consistently shows that reducing light exposure in the evening naturally triggers melatonin production—the hormone responsible for sleep regulation. By coordinating your meal timing with these light cues, you’re giving your body a double signal that it’s time to prepare for rest, which can significantly ease the transition to the new time schedule.
Certain foods contain natural properties that can actively support your body’s adjustment process. Incorporating melatonin-friendly foods like tart cherries, kiwi fruit, turkey, and pumpkin seeds can enhance sleep quality during this transition period. Studies have demonstrated that tart cherry juice naturally boosts melatonin levels, while kiwi contains compounds that may help you fall asleep faster and enjoy more restorative rest. Turkey and pumpkin seeds provide magnesium and zinc, minerals that support both melatonin production and overall relaxation. Just as important as what to eat is what to avoid—experts strongly advise against caffeine after 2 p.m. and sugary snacks close to bedtime. These stimulants can delay melatonin release and worsen sleep disruption precisely when your body is trying to adjust to the new schedule. DeCicco also points out that staying active and well-hydrated throughout the day can combat fatigue, noting that “dehydration is one of the leading causes of fatigue” and that “sunlight and fresh air help to make you feel invigorated and energized.”
The most effective approach to navigating the time change combines consistent eating patterns with balanced nutrition and lifestyle habits. DeCicco emphasizes maintaining regular meal times and including a mix of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to sustain steady energy levels. This nutritional consistency helps prevent the energy crashes that can make the time change adjustment even more challenging. She suggests that eating smaller meals throughout the day “requires less energy to digest and helps you stay active and alert.” For those not currently exercising regularly, she recommends starting slowly and gradually increasing activity levels. This comprehensive approach—combining strategic meal timing, sleep-supporting foods, appropriate light exposure, adequate hydration, and physical activity—creates a powerful framework that helps your body recalibrate its internal clock with minimal disruption. By implementing these nutrition and lifestyle strategies, most people can significantly reduce the fatigue and disorientation typically associated with the seasonal time shift, allowing them to maintain their energy and productivity even as the clocks change.
