Daylight Savings 2025: How It Impacts Your Circadian Rhythm in Menopause

Daylight Savings Can Throw Off Your Body Clock

Daylight savings time (DST) arrives on March 9, 2025, and that one-hour “spring forward” might seem insignificant, but it can wreak havoc on your circadian rhythm—especially if you’re in perimenopause or menopause. Studies show a spike in heart attacks around DST due to this disruption (American Heart Association, 2023,). After my surgical menopause at 38, I learned how light signals—like the sunrise glow through your eyes—keep our body clock ticking. At Navigate Menopause, I’m here to help you sync your rhythm and sail through this transition with a little sunlight magic.

The Science of Circadian Rhythms in Menopause

Your circadian rhythm is your body’s master clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of your hypothalamus. It relies on light entering your eyes to know what time it is; blue wavelengths at sunrise signal “wake up,” while their absence at night says “sleep.” In menopause, this rhythm is already shaky and hormonal shifts can mess with your pituitary gland, adrenals, thyroid, and ovaries, leading to issues like cortisol surges, thyroid dysfunction, and digestive challenges (e.g., low stomach acid, constipation). Add DST’s “mini jet lag,” and it’s a recipe for chaos: sleep deprivation, blood pressure spikes, and even gut issues like IBS can flare up, as noted in a 2022 study in Chronobiology International.

How DST Disrupts Women in Menopause

Most of us are already out of sync, bombarded by static blue light from screens and LEDs all day. DST’s one-hour shift acts like jet lag, exacerbating menopause symptoms:

• Sleep Issues: Losing an hour can disrupt melatonin production, making insomnia worse.
• Hormonal Chaos: Disrupted rhythms can spike cortisol, impacting adrenals and reproductive hormones.
• Cardiovascular Strain: Blood pressure naturally rises around 6-7 AM—DST can throw this off, raising heart attack risk.

How to Sync Your Rhythm During DST

Here’s how to keep your circadian rhythm on track during DST:

• Embrace Morning Sunlight: Go outside at sunrise (even if it’s cloudy) to signal “daytime” to your brain, resetting your body clock.
• Block Blue Light at Night: Dim lights and wear blue blockers after sunset to cue “sleep.”
• Lean on Your Tribe: Connect with women who get it—share laughs and support.

Thrive Through Menopause with Navigate Menopause

A healthy circadian rhythm can ease menopause symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, and hormonal chaos. At Navigate Menopause, I’m here to help you harness the power of light to thrive.

Take my quiz to discover your circadian rhythm type ([link to quiz]).

Share this with the women in your life—let’s rise through DST together!