Spring Forward: A Fresh Start for Movement, Energy, and Health

Twice a year, the clocks remind us that change is inevitable. As we spring forward and set our clocks one hour ahead, we gain longer evenings filled with sunlight, but we also lose an hour of sleep. That missing hour may not seem like much… until your alarm goes off Monday morning and you briefly question all your life choices.

While daylight saving time can leave us feeling a little groggy, it’s also a powerful opportunity, especially when it comes to movement, recovery, and overall health. Let’s talk about how to make the most of it (even if you’re clutching your coffee a little tighter than usual).

First Things First: Change Your Clocks (and Maybe Your Bedtime)

Don’t forget to set your clocks forward by one hour. Losing that hour of sleep can temporarily affect:

• Energy levels

• Coordination and reaction time

• Mood and motivation

• Sleep quality

If you feel a bit off for a few days, that’s completely normal. Your body likes routine. Suddenly telling it, “Surprise! We wake up earlier now!” can take some adjustment.

Try going to bed 15–30 minutes earlier in the days leading up to the time change. And if you accidentally stay up too late scrolling because “it’s still light outside,” you’re not alone. The sun is very convincing this time of year.

Longer Days = More Opportunity to Move

The best part of springing forward? More daylight in the evening.

More daylight means:

• After-dinner walks that don’t require a flashlight

• Outdoor stretching sessions

• Yard work that counts as exercise (yes, it counts)

• Getting back to hobbies you’ve missed all winter

Movement is medicine. And spring gives us the perfect excuse to shake off winter stiffness and start fresh.

If you’ve been less active during colder months, ease back in gradually. Your muscles may remember what to do, but they might also send you a strongly worded reminder the next day if you overdo it.

Consistency beats intensity every time.

If you’re currently in physical therapy, use the extra daylight as motivation to stay on track with your home exercise program. A quick walk or mobility routine before sunset can feel less like “homework” and more like self-care.

Sunlight: The Natural Energy Booster

Sunlight is more powerful than we often realize. Increased natural light exposure can:

• Boost mood

• Improve sleep cycles

• Support vitamin D production (important for bone and muscle health)

• Increase alertness and energy

From a rehab perspective, regulating your circadian rhythm, your body’s internal clock which helps with recovery and performance.

Even 10–20 minutes outside in the morning or early afternoon can help reset your system after the time change. Think of it as nature’s gentle reset button.

Watch for Fatigue (Your Body Notices)

Because we lose an hour of sleep, reaction time and coordination can be slightly reduced for a few days. That can increase the risk of:

• Missteps and falls

• Muscle strains

• Overuse injuries

This is not the week to suddenly decide you’re training for a marathon if you haven’t jogged since last spring.

Listen to your body. If you’re feeling extra tired, scale back intensity and focus on good movement quality. Strong and steady wins every time.

A Season of Fresh Starts

Spring is about renewal, and that includes your health habits.

Use this time change as a reset:

• Recommit to daily movement

• Schedule that physical therapy evaluation you’ve been putting off

• Set a realistic fitness goal

• Take advantage of longer evenings for active family time

If your energy feels a little low at first? That’s okay. Be patient with yourself. Your body will adjust. The sun is sticking around for longer. Let’s take that as a friendly nudge to step outside, move more, and take care of ourselves.

As we spring forward, let’s do more than change the clock. Let’s embrace the light, prioritize movement, and keep our bodies active and resilient, one well-timed stretch at a time.

If you need support along the way, our physical therapy team is here to help you move confidently into the brighter days ahead.

Discomfort and soreness are a part of life. What is not normal is living with pain. If you are still experiencing that pain, it's time to talk to your physical therapist or primary care physician.

Try to stay away from narcotics, injections and knife happy surgeons as a primary option for your treatment. There are no magic bullets, but majority of pain symptoms can be resolved with conservative measures like exercises, manual therapy and pain management.

• Irfan Ibrahim is an Owner/Physical Therapist at Rehabon Physical Therapy, Downers Grove IL 60515. He enjoys sunshine and rainbows with his three children. Loves hiking, biking and golfing but he has accepted to live with his mediocre skills. Questions??!! Email him: Irfan@rehabon.com  follow him on Facebook

  
  

• Aimee Cervantes, Rehab Tech at Rehabon Physical Therapy. Aimee is a PTA graduate and has experience at different settings of Physical Therapy. She is currently studying for her licensure exam! Aimee's hobbies are crafting and graphic design. She enjoys seeing her ideas come to life!