Daylight saving time ends Sunday: 5 ways to prepare
The days are about to get shorter; here's how to deal.
Get ready for your clocks to back an hour this weekend.
On Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 a.m. your local time, we'll leave daylight saving time. That means shorter days, longer nights and the sun setting as you leave the office.
Any time change can mess with your sleep and affect your mood, but the end of daylights saving time can be particularly hard. If you're anything like me, the early sunsets can make you feel down and make your brain think it's time for bed at 7 p.m.
However, now more than ever, technology offers ways to make this dark time of year a little bit brighter. Here are five ways to prepare for the end of DST and make the transition smoother.
Turn your clocks back
Anything that's connected to the internet -- your phone, iPad, smart speaker, smart thermostat -- should automatically set its clock back an hour. For all the other clocks in your life, you know the drill; set them back an hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.
It's still a good idea to double-check that everything switched time smoothly, so do a quick audit on Sunday morning.
Set lights to come on when you get home
For me, the worst part of DST ending is coming home to a dark house. I hate fumbling with my keys in the dark and my home just feels less welcoming.
One solution is to schedule my lights to turn on at a specific time. However, because I don't always come home at the same time everyday, the easiest solution is to have my smart lights turn on when I arrive.
Using Philips Hue bulbs and the accompanying Hue app, my lamps turn on as soon as I turn down my block. Even better, this only triggers after sunset, so the lights won't come on during daylight hours.
There are several ways to do this, as we outlined in our guide to get your lights to turn on when you come home.
Read more: The first 5 things to do with your smart lights.
Consider a light therapy lamp
If shorter days strongly affect your mood and sleep cycle, consider light therapy. Studies show that when we get too little sunlight, rates of depression and sleep disorders can go up.
Always consult with your doctor before starting a new treatment, but in the meantime you can learn about the benefits of light therapy here.
Check on your smart home routines
If you have any Alexa or Google Home routines that run on a set schedule, consider making adjustments for the shorter days.
For example, if you have a routine that turns on the lights and adjusts the thermostat to kick on the heat at 6 p.m., you might want to adjust the time so your house is warm and well lit as the sun goes down.
Here's how to set up a routine using Alexa and how to create a routine with Google Home.
Switch your ceiling fan
Did you know your ceiling fan can spin in both directions? The direction it turns can have a big impact on the temperature of your room.
As weather gets colder, flip the switch on the side of the fan's motor housing. This will force cold air up and push warm air that settles near the ceiling down into the room.
Any while you're at it, clean your ceiling fan blades, too.
Clean air: It's time to change your home's air filter.
Express wash: How to clean your kitchen in under 15 minutes.