Dreading The Clock Change? 5 Simple Sleep Tweaks To Make Winter Easier

We may be granted a rare extra hour in bed, but when the clocks go back on 25 October – bringing lighter mornings and darker evenings – you might notice some small, temporary disruptions to your circadian rhythm – the body’s internal clock that regulates sleep and wake cycles. These usually resolve naturally within a few days, but regardless, it’s a good moment to consider how you’ve been sleeping – and what you might do to improve things if slumber isn’t coming quite so naturally right now.

Here, Vogue shares five science-backed tweaks to help make mornings a more energised affair.

Implement consistent sleep and wake-up times

Busy lives mean we often scrimp on sleep during the week, then endeavour to catch up at the weekend when time is more free-flowing. Unfortunately, this tactic isn’t ideal for our sleep patterns, nor does it support wider health. “Research shows that regular sleep schedules help synchronise your circadian rhythm, improve sleep efficiency and support mood and cognitive performance,” explains clinical psychologist and sleep specialist, Dr Michael J Breus. “Irregular sleep timing has also been associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease, depression and cognitive decline – even after accounting for sleep duration.”

Consistency is just as important as the amount of sleep you’re getting. His advice is to wake up at approximately the same time each day, including weekends, and get some morning sunlight (ideally within half an hour of waking; a Lumie lamp is fine if it’s still dark) to reinforce your internal clock. “Your bedtime should follow when you get naturally sleepy,” he adds, noting that the goal isn’t to create a rigid schedule, but rather to give the brain a predictable rhythm it can count on.

Adjust evening meal timing

Eating particularly rich or heavy meals close to bedtime is never wise when you’re pursuing a good night’s sleep. Research has linked later meals with difficulties falling and staying asleep. Nutritionist Kat Chan says, “I generally recommend leaving around three hours between your main evening meal and bedtime to give the body time to digest and reduce risk of things like reflux, which can disturb sleep comfort and quality,” adding, “Particularly large or rich meals can also leave us feeling uncomfortable when it’s time to get into bed.”

Heavier meals are best enjoyed earlier in the day, when the body is better equipped to handle glucose. Our digestive and metabolic processes also follow a circadian rhythm, which means our ability to process glucose is generally lower in the evening. Dinners that incorporate a good source of protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates and vegetables are Chan’s pick: “Maybe salmon with brown rice and greens or a hearty lentil soup,” she shares. “Carbs, in particular, can influence the availability of tryptophan, an amino acid involved in producing serotonin and melatonin, both of which are important for sleep.”

While your evening meal is undoubtedly important, Chan’s overarching advice is to consider your eating habits throughout the day. Think: eating regularly, enough and allowing plenty of time for digestion.

Get the temperature right

We evolved to sleep in dark, cool environments, so recreating something similar in our modern, infinitely more comfortable bedrooms is a good place to start. Our core body temperature needs to drop to help us drift off, which means a hot bedroom is not ideal. It’s not just falling asleep that’s affected: research suggests excessive heat can also increase wakefulness during the night, reduce deep and REM sleep, and interfere with the body’s natural temperature regulation – itself an important part of our circadian rhythm.

“Think of temperature as a sleep signal,” advises Dr Breus. “Keep your bedroom cool but your hands and feet comfortably warm to help your body release heat. If you tend to overheat at night, breathable bedding or an actively temperature-controlled mattress pad may make a noticeable difference.”

Beyond the temperature of your actual room – around 18 or 19 degrees is often recommended, although individual preferences vary – it’s worth ensuring your bedding and nightwear are breathable, too. A temperature-regulating mattress, such as Simba’s Hybrid Luxe with its HeatRelease graphite strips that are designed to absorb excess body heat, or a cover, like Eight Sleep’s Pod 6 can be useful. But simpler everyday upgrades include cotton, linen or other natural-fibre sheets and nightclothes, which can help prevent overheating in the first place.

Consider taking a magnesium supplement

“Magnesium has become the VIP of the sleep supplement world,” says Chan. “It plays an important role in regulating the nervous system and supporting normal muscle function, while also contributing to GABA activity – a neurotransmitter that helps calm the brain and promote relaxation.”

While it’s always best to start with your diet – dark leafy greens (such as spinach), nuts, seeds, beans and dark chocolate are all good ways to increase your magnesium intake – supplementation may be worth considering if you’re not getting enough. “Magnesium glycinate is generally well tolerated and less likely to cause digestive upset than some other forms of magnesium,” says Chan. Try Artah’s Essential Magnesium and Ancient + Brave’s True Magnesium.

Try this 60-second hack

When you wake in the middle of the night and the weight of the world’s worries suddenly descend upon your brain, neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman has a clever trick that could help you drift back off. Keeping your eyes closed, slowly move them from side to side, then circle them clockwise and anti-clockwise, before gently turning them in towards your nose – all while taking a long, slow exhale. Repeat a few times, until you fall back to sleep.

The idea is that slow, unfamiliar eye movements may help switch your attention away from racing thoughts, while the long exhale encourages relaxation. There is also some research into how certain types of eye movement influence emotional processing and activity in the amygdala, otherwise known as the brain’s threat centre. Whether this particular technique helps you fall asleep faster hasn’t been scientifically established, but as a simple way to interrupt a spiral of nighttime worrying, it is worth a try. Not to mention it’s also a great one to have in your back pocket for stressful moments in the day.