Clock Change Sleep Reset | Farah-Naz Khan

The twice-yearly clock change can feel like a minor inconvenience, but for many of us, it’s a significant jolt to our system. As the clocks go back an hour on the last Sunday in October, our internal body clocks, or circadian rhythms, are thrown out of sync. This shift, coupled with the rapidly shortening days, can trigger a cascade of issues, from disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue to heightened anxiety and the onset of the winter blues.

For people in Sheffield and across South Yorkshire, the loss of evening light can feel particularly acute. Research shows that even this one-hour shift can disrupt sleep patterns for over a week, and a YouGov poll found that a significant portion of Britons feel the clock change negatively impacts their sleep and mood. You might notice yourself feeling groggy, irritable, or finding it harder to drift off at night, even with the supposed “extra hour” in bed. This isn’t just in your head; it’s a biological response to a sudden change in your environment.

Why the Autumn Clock Change Unsettles Your Mind and Body

Your body runs on a finely tuned internal schedule known as the circadian rhythm. This 24-hour cycle governs everything from your sleep-wake patterns to your hormone release and mood regulation. Its primary cue? Light.

When the clocks go back, our light exposure patterns shift abruptly. We wake up in darkness and often leave work in darkness, too. This mismatch between our internal clock and the external day-night cycle is called circadian misalignment. The Royal Society for Public Health has highlighted how these seasonal shifts can impact our wellbeing, contributing to what is commonly known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or the less severe “winter blues.”

This disruption can manifest in several ways:

• Difficulty Falling Asleep: Your body isn’t ready for bed at the new, earlier clock time.
• Waking Too Early: Your internal clock might rouse you at your old wake-up time.
• Increased Anxiety: Poor sleep is a major contributor to anxiety, and the darker, colder months can amplify feelings of unease or overwhelm.
• Low Mood & Energy: Reduced exposure to natural daylight can lead to a dip in serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, contributing to fatigue and low motivation.

The good news is that you can take practical, gentle steps to support your body and mind through this transition, helping you feel calmer, sleep deeper, and move through the autumn months with more ease.

Your 7-Day Plan to Readjust and Protect Your Wellbeing

Instead of simply enduring the disruption, you can proactively reset your internal clock. Here is a holistic plan combining behavioural science and mind-body techniques to help you adapt smoothly.

1. Master Your Light Exposure

Light is your most powerful tool. The aim is to get bright, natural light in the morning and minimise artificial blue light at night.

• Morning Light: Within the first hour of waking, expose yourself to natural daylight for at least 15-20 minutes. Even on an overcast Sheffield day, the light is powerful enough to signal to your brain that it’s time to be alert. Open the curtains immediately, have your breakfast by a window, or take a short walk. A weekend stroll through the Peak District or a weekday wander in Endcliffe Park can work wonders.
• Evening Dim-Down: An hour before your desired bedtime, begin to dim the lights in your home. Switch off harsh overhead lights and use warm, low-level lamps instead. Most importantly, put away phones, tablets, and laptops. The blue light they emit actively suppresses melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy.

2. Create a “Wind-Down” Evening Ritual

Your brain needs clear signals that it’s time to switch from “doing” to “resting.” Create a consistent 30-60 minute pre-sleep routine.

• Caffeine & Alcohol Curfew: Stop drinking caffeine at least eight hours before bed (that means no later than 2 pm for a 10 pm bedtime). While alcohol might make you feel drowsy initially, it severely disrupts the quality of your sleep later in the night, leading to more frequent awakenings.
• The Power of Warmth: A warm bath or shower an hour or two before bed can help. The subsequent drop in your body temperature mimics a natural process that helps initiate sleep.
• Soothing Scents & Touch: Introduce calming sensory experiences. My unique Hypno-Massage service combines the power of hypnosis with therapeutic touch, enhanced by my HypnoGlow-Me!™ massage pouring candles. These natural, vegan-friendly candles melt into a warm, nourishing oil, perfect for a gentle hand or foot massage as part of your wind-down, creating a deep sense of mind-body relaxation.

3. A Simple Hypnosis Script for Deeper Sleep

Hypnotherapy is a powerful, natural way to calm a busy mind and guide your body towards rest. It works by accessing a state of focused relaxation, allowing you to quiet anxious thoughts and give your subconscious mind positive suggestions for sleep.

Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Read this script slowly to yourself, or record it on your phone.

Settle into a comfortable position… and allow your eyes to gently close… Take a slow, deep breath in… and as you breathe out, feel your body beginning to soften… letting go of the day…

Bring your awareness to your feet… and just imagine a wave of gentle relaxation flowing into the soles of your feet… warming… soothing… and releasing all tension… Allow that feeling to flow up into your ankles… your calves… and your knees… letting go completely…

Now, feel that wave of deep relaxation moving up into your thighs… your hips… allowing your lower body to become heavy and deeply relaxed…

And as you continue to breathe slowly and evenly… that feeling of calm flows up into your stomach and chest… and into your back… releasing any tightness held there… Your shoulders drop… your arms become heavy and limp…

Finally, that gentle wave of relaxation flows into your neck… your jaw… your cheeks… and all the tiny muscles around your eyes… smoothing away the day…

Your whole body is now calm, heavy, and deeply relaxed… and your mind is quiet… ready for rest… You can simply drift… knowing that you are safe… and that deep, restorative sleep is coming to you easily and naturally…

The Science Supporting Mind-Body Approaches

This isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s backed by science. The effectiveness of managing light exposure and sleep routines is a cornerstone of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), recommended by the NHS as a first-line treatment for insomnia.

Furthermore, research into hypnotherapy has shown its significant benefits for sleep and anxiety. A study published in the journal Sleep found that participants who listened to a hypnosis recording experienced an 80% increase in deep sleep and spent less time awake. The Royal College of Psychiatrists acknowledges that hypnotherapy can be a helpful intervention for anxiety and phobias, which are often underlying causes of sleep problems. By calming the nervous system, hypnosis helps break the cycle of “I can’t sleep, so I’m anxious” and “I’m anxious, so I can’t sleep.”

Take the First Step Towards Better Sleep

Navigating the seasonal shift doesn’t have to be a struggle. If you’re in Sheffield, Ecclesall, Fulwood, or the surrounding areas and feel that anxiety, insomnia, or the winter blues are impacting your life, support is available.

I offer a modern, solution-focused approach that blends hypnotherapy and psychotherapy to help you feel calmer, more in control, and ready to move forward. You don’t have to wait until you’re at breaking point.

Contact me to book a free, no-obligation 20-minute discovery call today. We can chat about what you’re experiencing and explore how a personalised plan can help you restore balance and get the deep, restorative sleep you deserve.