HOMETOWN HEALTH: How to beat ‘fall fatigue’ ahead of Sunday’s time change

(WDBJ) - Sleep medicine doctor Chafen Hart of National Jewish Health said the days leading up to Sunday’s time change are when people may feel extra exhaustion from what is known as “fall fatigue.”

Hart said fall fatigue can happen when the body can’t process the sudden change to more darkness during the day. Days are shorter and mornings are darker.

What causes fall fatigue

“The hardest time are these dark weeks right before we change back to Standard Time because it’s still so dark in the morning hours,” Hart said.

Hart said the change in daylight can make it harder to sleep.

“The brain has a difficult time timing sleep, and then sometimes it also has a difficult time timing wake, so people feel more sleepy during the day, sometimes just fatigue, but often more sleepiness, especially in the morning hours,” Hart said.

Ways to cope

Hart said people can seek morning light, which can help the brain know it’s time to wake up. She also recommended getting regular movement to boost energy levels naturally.

A special lamp that mimics sunlight can also help wake the body, Hart said.

To protect the sleep cycle, Hart said people should keep a consistent schedule and go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

“Keeping eating times regular is really helpful cause your, your circadian rhythm is also in your gut, and so it helps your brain time sleep if you have regular meal times,” Hart said.

Hart said it is okay to lean into fall comforts a little but to avoid taking long naps.

“That tends to interfere with the circadian rhythm even more, and kind of doubles down on that confusion in the brain with the timing of light and dark,” Hart said.

When to see a doctor

Hart said fall fatigue is typically mild and lasts only a few weeks.

If a person still feels drained after that, Hart said it could be seasonal affective disorder, which is recognized as a type of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern.

Hart said people should check with a doctor if exhaustion is paired with constant low mood, loss of interest in things they typically love, or major changes in appetite and sleep lasting longer than a couple of weeks.