Ahead of the November 1 time change, Dr. Pedram Navab explains why consistency matters more than an extra hour on the clock.
The clocks offer an extra hour this weekend. But feeling rested isn’t guaranteed.
When daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, the return to standard time will shift familiar routines against your body’s sleep schedule. Earlier darkness and other changes to your day’s timing make the adjustment more noticeable than the promise of additional sleep suggests.
Dr. Pedram Navab, a neurologist, Stanford-trained sleep medicine specialist, and author of The Alchemy of Sleep: The Science, Mystery, and Magic of a Good Night’s Rest, encourages people to approach the transition as a change in the signals that organize sleep.
“The clock gives you an extra hour, but your brain doesn’t read the clock. Light, wake time, and daily habits tell your body when it’s time to sleep,” Navab says.
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, clocks move back one hour at 2 a.m. local time on November 1 in U.S. locations that observe daylight saving time. The change shifts an hour of daylight from the evening to the morning; it doesn’t add daylight to the day.
For people preparing for the switch, Navab offers four practical steps focused on daily habits, light, and safety.
1. Give mornings a consistent starting point
Navab recommends maintaining a regular wake time through the transition. If the time change brings an unusually early awakening, sleeping much later into the morning to compensate can make the routine less consistent.
The aim is to establish a dependable start to the day while the body adjusts, rather than treating the repeated hour as a reason to overhaul the sleep schedule.
2. Pay attention to light throughout the day
Navab advises spending time outdoors after waking and finding opportunities for daylight exposure during the afternoon as evenings grow darker.
As bedtime approaches, he recommends reducing bright lighting and screen exposure. His guidance treats light as part of the daily sleep routine, alongside the time a person gets out of bed.
3. Let sleepiness help determine bedtime
An earlier number on the clock doesn’t necessarily mean the body is ready for bed. Navab recommends avoiding a forced bedtime simply because the clock suggests it’s time.
For those who tend to struggle with schedule changes, he offers a gradual option: move sleep and meal schedules later in increments of 15 to 20 minutes over several days. This gives daily routines a gentler transition into the new clock time.
4. Prepare for a darker trip home
The adjustment extends beyond the bedroom. A commute or evening walk that previously took place in daylight may happen after sunset once clocks change.
Navab urges additional care when driving or walking home. Planning for that earlier darkness makes safety part of the time-change routine, rather than an afterthought.
A broader perspective on better rest
In The Alchemy of Sleep, Navab explores sleep through neuroscience, sleep medicine and integrative practices. The book considers rest’s relationship with physical and emotional health, creativity, and everyday life.
His advice for falling back reflects a broader perspective: sleep depends on what happens throughout the day, not simply the number of hours available overnight. A steady morning, deliberate light exposure, and a flexible approach to bedtime offer practical places to begin.
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