Clocks Change: How to Hack Your Body’s ‘Metabolic Sweet Spot’ When You Lose an Hour’s Sleep
With the clocks going forward this weekend many of us will be tempted to compensate by having a lie-in but a sleep coach with more than six years worth of experience has warned against this. Instead Sam Sadighi, sleep expert at Get Laid Beds and founder of Easy Sleep Solutions has urged people to eat their breakfast outside in the days leading up to the clock change.
The habit of eating your breakfast outside is considered a ‘Photic Reset’ and acts as a signal to your brain that the day has started. The reset prepares your body to wake-up at the same time in the days that follow, mitigating the impact of losing an hour’s sleep. As with all morning routines, people will need to demonstrate strong willpower and avoid the urge to snooze their alarm. For those wondering why our beds will feel irresistibly cosy when our alarm goes off on Sunday morning – or any other morning for that matter – Sam has also revealed the science behind the metabolic sweet spot we experience just as we need to get up.
The ‘metabolic sweet spot’ making mornings harder
Explaining why mornings feel their cosiest just as we need to get up, Sam said: “That heavy, cosy feeling when your alarm goes off isn’t random, it’s your body hitting a metabolic sweet spot.
“Your core temperature is at its lowest just before waking, then begins to rise. That warming effect, combined with the transition between sleep and wake, creates that cocoon-like feeling.
“At the same time, we’re in our longest, most intense REM cycles. Waking up mid-dream makes us feel even more immersed in sleep, which is why getting up can feel physically harder.”
Why the clocks going forward can hit us hard
With almost five million searches in March linked to the clocks changing, it’s clear that people struggle with the seasonal shift. And while it might be tempting to stay in bed longer, Sam warns it can actually make things worse: “Lying in feels like the easy fix, but it delays your body clock and makes it harder to fall asleep that night. It’s a short-term win that creates a longer-term problem.”
The two expert-backed ways to beat the time change
Instead, Sam recommends two lesser-known techniques to help reset your body clock ahead of the change:
1. The Photic Reset
“Light is one of the most powerful tools we have to reset our internal clock.
“Having breakfast outside, or by a window, for a couple of mornings before the clocks change helps signal to your brain and body that the day has started.”
Pair this with the right fuel:
“A high-protein, high-fat breakfast helps stabilise energy levels and avoid crashes that can lead to poor sleep later on.”
Go-to options include:
- Eggs and avocado on sourdough
- Greek yoghurt with nuts and chia seeds
2. Temperature pre-loading
For those struggling to get an early night:g “Taking a hot bath or shower around 90 minutes before bed triggers a rapid drop in core temperature afterwards – mimicking the body’s natural sleep signals.
“It’s a simple way to trick your body into winding down earlier, even when the clock says otherwise.”
Sam adds that while techniques like temperature pre-loading can help signal sleep, your environment ultimately determines how well you rest:
“Good quality sleep doesn’t just come down to routine – your environment plays a huge role. Having the right bed, whether that’s a king size or double, and a space that feels calm, comfortable and supportive is fundamental to truly restorative sleep. If your setup isn’t working for you, your body won’t fully switch off.”
As we move into spring and the clocks go forward, that perfectly cosy morning feeling isn’t going anywhere, but understanding the science behind it could make getting up a little less brutal.