Turning the clocks back at the end of daylight saving time has been linked to trouble falling and staying asleep, while ongoing sleep loss can take a toll on health.

While some research has suggested that the fall time change could have some cardiovascular benefits, the abrupt loss of evening sunlight can suppress serotonin and melatonin production, which can lead to a depressed mood, according to Dr. John La Puma, a California physician and expert in nature-based medicine.

The body’s internal clock does not automatically follow the clock on the wall, La Puma noted.

THE DAYTIME HABIT THAT COULD TRANSFORM YOUR SLEEP, ACCORDING TO NEW STUDY

"When the clocks change, your body clock is still on the old time," he told Fox News Digital, pointing out some common effects people may notice.

"So, for about a week, you wake up an hour early. You get hungry early. You feel sleepy early. It gets dark by five. Afternoon light goes away. You get months of short days. … You need coffee just to feel human. It's not great."

Making small adjustments to your routine after the time change could help ease the transition, the doctor said.

No. 1: Make small schedule shifts

With clocks turning back overnight Saturday, people can begin moving bedtime, meals and wake-up time later in small increments on Friday, according to La Puma.

"So, you move your day later in small steps," he advised. "You move your bedtime and meals the same 15 minutes each time."

DOCTOR REVEALS 4 HIDDEN HEALTH RISKS OF SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME INDOORS

For someone who normally goes to bed at 10 p.m., that could mean 10:15 p.m. Friday and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, before the clocks change. Wake-up times and meals can shift by the same increments as schedules allow.

No. 2: Don't spend the ‘extra hour’ on a late night

Since the time change falls on Halloween, Dr. Saema Tahir, a sleep medicine doctor in New York City, cautioned against staying up late and drinking, operating under the assumption that the extra hour covers it.

"Keep alcohol moderate, finish drinking a few hours before bed and avoid caffeine after early afternoon," she advised.

"Alcohol makes you drowsy at first but breaks up sleep in the second half of the night. Caffeine stays in your system for hours. Together, they can leave you more tired on Sunday than you would be with no time change at all."

No. 3: Get outside at the right time

La Puma also emphasized the importance of being intentional about outdoor exposure.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

"You want to get outside at the right minutes, at the time of day and in the right place if you can," he advised, specifically recommending getting outside each afternoon later in the day.

"Late-day daylight is different than morning daylight. Late-day daylight tells your body the day is running long, and it shifts later," he said.

Once you've adjusted to the time change, Tahir recommends getting outdoor light within an hour of waking every day through the winter.

"Light is the strongest signal the body clock gets," she told Fox News Digital. "Evening light pushes it later, which is the direction you need to go for 'fall back.' Morning light keeps it stable over the darker months and supports mood and daytime alertness."

No. 4: Create a wind-down routine

Choosing a relaxing activity that signals bedtime is approaching can help to promote a consistent sleep schedule.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

La Puma suggests choosing a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as working in a paper workbook, sipping chamomile tea, taking a bath or using aromatherapy, options he outlines in his book, "Indoor Epidemic."

"Very specific things that tell your brain and body, 'I'm winding down so I can go to sleep.'"

No. 5: Avoid caffeine and screens

Other tips include limiting caffeine after noon and stopping screen time at least an hour before bedtime.

La Puma warned that light from the screen can suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps signal it is time to sleep. Even using night mode may not fully prevent that effect.

No. 6: Keep a consistent schedule after the change

Once the clocks change, it’s important to maintain a regular wake-up time, including on weekends, La Puma said.

"Pick one wake-up time and keep it every day, weekdays and weekends."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

La Puma cited an eight-year study of about 60,000 people that linked consistent sleep and wake times to a 19% lower risk of death.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

"So, sleep and wake times have important effects on heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular mortality," he said.

Anyone experiencing persistent trouble falling or staying asleep, frequent daytime fatigue or sleep loss that interferes with daily activities should contact a healthcare provider, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Imagine a place where people are twice as likely to say something negative about you as something positive. A place where they feel free to insult you in ways they would never attempt in person. A place where they are incentivized, sometimes financially, for saying things about you that are untrue.

Social media is that place.

Online hate has received renewed attention in recent weeks. Most notably, ESPN commentator Pat McAfee cited online remarks, lies, and death threats when explaining why he felt unsafe at a Utah college campus last week. He said people frequently tell him they want to "Kirk" him, a reference to the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk.

BOBBY BURACK: JUSTIN TUCKER SIGNING EXPOSES SPORTS MEDIA’S SELECTIVE OUTRAGE OVER NFL MISCONDUCT

OutKick founder Clay Travis has described receiving similar messages almost every day. McAfee and Travis are not alone. Anyone with a public platform or a controversial opinion has likely faced an online barrage of abuse, often more than once.

In my experience, negative comments outnumber positive ones by an even wider margin than the nearly two-to-one ratio University of Minnesota researchers found.

The mental health consequences are not only measurable but notable.

In a 2025 experiment involving 128 adults, participants exposed to negative social media comments recorded anxiety scores of 2.42, compared with 1.77 among those who saw neutral comments and 1.55 among those who saw positive comments. Their pleasant mood scores also fell to 2.37, compared with 3.05 after neutral comments and 3.25 after positive comments.

Translation: their moods were tied to what people say to them and about them online.

A separate meta-analysis found that adolescents who experienced cyberbullying had 2.73 times the odds of developing depression as those who had not.

The numbers are concerning. Social media hostility can cause serious distress, from children and teenagers to professional athletes and public figures.

Jesse Morse, M.D., built an X following of more than 200,000 people by providing injury analysis on NFL players. His account generated enough engagement to qualify for monetization. Last week, he said he had "retired" from the role because of the relentless negativity.

"My reputation is not worth it. I get so much hate. It’s just not worth it anymore," Morse wrote.

Maybe it is not worth it. That is for you to decide.

But the people spreading the hate are not worth it. They are not worth acknowledging. They are mere strangers to you.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE

Think about the logic of allowing someone who does not know you to determine your mood. If someone criticized a movie but admitted they had watched only a few seconds, you would dismiss the review immediately. You wouldn't give credibility to someone judging an entire film from an incomplete sample.

Social media criticism is often no different. People are far more complex than films. And yet, most users who insult you are responding to a single post, comment or moment. They are judging your character based on one short scene.

Their opinion is not credible. It only becomes so if you decide to make it credible.

Social media also distorts public opinion. Studies show that negative content is overrepresented because it attracts more engagement and spreads more widely. In return, positive reactions are quieter and less visible. The online response is not a representative sample of the real world.

In previous generations, most people had no idea what strangers thought of them. Strangers had no way to announce their opinions directly.

Now they do.

That is the only thing that has changed.

Their opinions have not become more informed, accurate or important simply because technology can deliver them to your phone.

So stop treating them as if they have.

Do not let people who do not know you define you. Do not let the most unreasonable and uninformed people defeat you.

Ignore them. Turn off your mentions. Restrict replies. Disable public comments. Delete social media, if you wish. The moment you stop giving strangers access to your attention, you render them powerless.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Unless a troll is a direct threat to what matters most in your life — friends, family, career, health, safety — they should have no place in your mind.

Hate is lonely when no one notices it.