Hola from South Padre Island and Happy Halloween, where your favorite nerd is attempting to get his sleep schedule back on track after four days of driving, questionable amounts of caffeine, and enough windshield time to qualify as a professional trucker.

And just as I'm getting back into a routine, the government decides to screw with the clocks again.

Fantastic.

This Sunday, November 1, we fall back one hour.

Technically, you gain an extra hour of sleep, which sounds great, right?

Until your eyeballs pop open at 4:47 AM and your brain decides it's time to party like a caffeinated squirrel in the pit at a Slayer concert.

Your Brain Doesn't Own a Clock

Deep inside your hypothalamus lives the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), your master circadian clock.

This tiny cluster of neurons coordinates the timing of your sleep, body temperature, hormone secretion, and a bunch of other physiologic cool sheeeeeeeyt.

And it doesn't give a rat's arse what time your iPhone says.

It runs primarily on light-dark signals.

When the clocks change, your internal biology doesn't instantly follow along like an obedient golden retriever. God I love dogs.

For some people, that means waking up too early, feeling tired at odd times, or having sleep quality take it in the shorts.

Melatonin Is Not a Sledgehammer

One of the interesting things about melatonin is that it's more of a circadian timing signal than a traditional sedative so don't expect even your higher doses of it to hit you like a tranq dart on a Rhino.

Think of it as your brain's little nighttime air traffic controller.

It helps coordinate when your body thinks nighttime should occur.

Supplemental melatonin can shift your circadian rhythm, although the timing and dose matter quite a bit.

However, melatonin isn't the only player in this game.

My Meathead Sleep Reset

Here's what I'm doing to get my sleep back on track after traveling and dealing with the time change.

1. Get outside for natural light early in the day to help anchor my sleep-wake rhythm.
2. Keep my wake-up time relatively consistent instead of sleeping until noon like a hungover college student Bro.
3. Wind down at night and give my nervous system a chance to stop acting like it's still fighting traffic on I-35.

That last one is where my friends at KillSwitch come in.

I've been using their hot cocoa sleep formula as part of my nighttime routine, and I dig it.

It contains 450 mg of L-theanine, GABA, magnesium glycinate, and tart cherry as a natural form of melatonin.

The L-theanine is especially interesting for relaxation which is great in the evening.

Now, I'm not claiming this chocolate concoction magically resets your circadian clock.

Light exposure and consistent sleep timing still do the heavy lifting; however, having a tasty nighttime routine that helps me wind down is a win in my book.

Plus, it tastes like actual cocoa instead of somebody scraped chocolate-flavored drywall dust into a mug.

And it passed the Wifey Test as Jodie loves it.

If you want to try it, grab KillSwitch here: Sleep Like You Are Dead​

Full disclosure: I'm an affiliate, so I make a few shekels if you buy through my link, and the feedback has been amazing. I drank some here last night!

The Takeaway

You can't negotiate with your circadian biology.

Give it consistent light, regular sleep timing, and a decent wind-down routine.

The clocks may change overnight, but your physiology still operates on its own schedule.

And as always, physiology eventually collects the bill.

Much love, cocoa, and circadian chaos,

Dr. Mike

PS --- That extra hour on Sunday is a gift. Don't blow it doomscrolling Instagram until 2 AM while some fitness Goo Roo explains how sleeping with a magnet taped to your forehead increases testosterone by 347%.

If you want to make your nighttime routine a little more enjoyable, try KillSwitch. My affiliate link is: Sleep Like You Are Dead​

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Mike T Nelson CISSN, CSCS, MSME, PhD
Associate Professor, Carrick Institute
Owner, Extreme Human Performance, LLC
Editorial Board Member, STRONG Fitness Mag

Mike T Nelson is a PhD and not a physician or registered dietitian. The contents of this email should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

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