By Katia Hetter, CNN
(CNN) — No, I did not prepare for the start of Daylight Saving Time this past weekend, when most people in the United States move their clocks forward an hour. That means sunset will come later — despite our need for that lost hour of sleep overnight.
Experts advised planning for this change two weeks ago by shifting your sleeping schedule a bit each night. That did not happen in my house and maybe it didn’t happen in your house either, since the workdays are long and everyone’s calendars are packed.
Even though the shift is only 60 minutes, the sudden change can disrupt the body’s internal clock. Many people find themselves feeling groggy in the morning, restless at night and less focused during the day.
Knowing what happens to your body when the clocks move forward and why the change affects some people more than others can help you adjust faster. And yes, there are times when people seek medical advice for sleep problems that linger after the transition.
To guide us through this adjustment, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and adjunct associate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner.
CNN: What happens in the body when we “spring forward”?
Dr. Leana Wen: Our internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, is closely regulated by exposure to light and darkness. When the clock suddenly jumps forward by an hour, the brain doesn’t instantly adjust. Your body is still operating on the previous day’s schedule.
One important factor is melatonin, the hormone that helps signal when it’s time to sleep. After the time change, melatonin may still be released according to the old schedule. That means people might not feel sleepy when they should, making it harder to fall asleep at night and wake up the next morning.
This shift can feel like a mild form of jet lag. Instead of traveling across time zones, the time zone effectively moves around you. Even though it’s just an hour, the change can temporarily disrupt sleep, alertness, appetite and mood.
CNN: Why do some people struggle more than others with the spring time change?
Wen: Losing an hour of sleep tends to be more difficult for the body than gaining one, which is why many people notice the spring transition more than the fall shift.
People who already don’t get enough sleep may feel the effects more strongly. If someone is already sleep deprived, losing even one hour can worsen fatigue and concentration problems. Early work or school schedules can make the adjustment harder, too, because people still need to wake up at the same clock time even though their bodies feel like it’s earlier.
Children and teenagers can also have difficulty adapting. Many adolescents naturally fall asleep and wake later than adults, so an earlier effective wake time can leave them especially tired for several days. Shift workers and people with irregular sleep schedules may notice the disruption more as well.
CNN: How long does it usually take to adjust to the new schedule?
Wen: For many people, the adjustment takes several days. Others may need closer to a week before their sleep schedule fully aligns with the new time.
The key is consistency, and you can start that practice today. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day hel