When the Clocks Fall Back: Missing the Sunlight and Finding Your Way Through
In September, I wrote about how fall can feel heavier than we expect. The changing season can bring familiar memories, shifting routines, and feelings we do not always anticipate.
Now we are approaching the part of fall that I find especially difficult: turning the clocks back.
I’ll be honest. I don’t look forward to it.
There is something about that warm afternoon sunlight that I miss when the days grow shorter. When it starts getting dark around 5:30, the evening can feel over before I’ve had much chance to enjoy it. I know the change is coming, but it still takes some getting used to every year.
If you feel the same way, you have some company.
You may appreciate the extra hour of sleep and still wish you could keep the evening light. You may love the fall colors and cooler air while finding the early darkness difficult. There is room for all of those feelings.
When the Evening Suddenly Feels Shorter
The days have already been getting shorter, but turning the clocks back makes the difference feel sudden. One week, there is still time to enjoy some sunlight after work. The next, you are turning on the headlights before heading home.
That afternoon light can feel like an invitation to do something. Take a walk. Finish a project outside. Sit on the porch for a few minutes. When it disappears earlier, those opportunities can feel harder to find. Sometimes what we miss is the feeling that there is still a little day left for us after our responsibilities are finished.
Recognizing what you miss can be a helpful place to start. For me, it is the warmth of the sunlight and the chance to spend a little more time outside.
Make a Little Room for Daylight When the Clock Falls Back
As the evenings get darker, enjoying daylight may take a little more intention. Perhaps you can step outside with your morning coffee, take a short walk during lunch, or spend a few minutes outdoors between errands. On a day off, you might move an indoor task to later and use the afternoon for something outside.
It does not have to become another item on a long list of things you should be doing. Think of it as making room for something you miss.
A few quiet minutes in the sun can be something to look forward to, even when a longer afternoon outdoors is not possible.
Give the Evening Something to Look Forward To
When it is dark before dinner, it is easy to feel as though the day is already finished. Having something enjoyable planned can help the evening feel more like your own.
That might be cooking a favorite meal, calling a friend, reading a book, or working on a hobby. Perhaps there is a class you have wanted to try or someone you have been meaning to invite over. There is also nothing wrong with enjoying a quiet evening at home. A comfortable chair, a warm lamp, and something good to read can make the earlier darkness feel a little more welcoming.
The idea is to leave room for enjoyment alongside the ordinary responsibilities of the week.
Stay in Touch
During the warmer months, connection sometimes happens without much planning. We see neighbors outside, linger after an activity, or meet someone for an evening walk. When the weather cools and darkness comes earlier, those casual moments can become less frequent.
A little planning can keep those connections going. Arrange lunch with a friend. Put a regular phone call on the calendar. Invite someone over for a simple dinner. It does not need to be a big gathering or an elaborate plan.
Sometimes having a conversation with someone you enjoy is enough to brighten an otherwise ordinary evening.
Give Yourself Time to Adjust
You may find yourself looking at the clock and being surprised that it is only 6:30. You may miss your usual evening walk or feel ready to settle in earlier than you expected.
Give yourself some room to find a rhythm that works for this part of the year. Keep the familiar routines you enjoy, and be willing to move a few things around. An evening activity might work better on a weekend afternoon. A walk after dinner might become a walk at lunch.
You do not have to figure it all out during the first week.
Finding Your Own Way Through
I will probably still wish for another hour of afternoon sunlight when the clocks turn back. But I can also make a little more room for the daylight that is here and find things to look forward to after the sun goes down.
Maybe that means a short walk at lunch, dinner with someone you enjoy, or setting aside an evening for something you rarely make time for. You do not have to love the early darkness. Give yourself time to settle into the change, and leave a little room in your week for the things that help you feel like yourself.
And when a warm, sunny afternoon comes along, I hope you get a chance to step outside and enjoy it.
About the Author
Kevin Link Jr., LCMHC, is the founder of Whispering Hills Counseling Services PLLC in Hendersonville, North Carolina. He provides trauma-informed therapy for children, teens, and adults experiencing anxiety, panic, trauma, grief, ADHD, and other life challenges. Kevin offers in-person therapy in Hendersonville and secure online therapy throughout North Carolina.
