How does “spring forward” really affect athletes’ sleep and performance?

Daylight saving time’s “spring forward” can temporarily disrupt an athlete’s sleep, mood, and training quality by shifting the body clock faster than it can naturally adjust. With planning, most athletes can minimize these effects within about a week.

Why “spring forward” disrupts athletes

When clocks jump ahead one hour, most people lose sleep: bedtimes often stay the same, but the wake time is suddenly earlier. This creates a short period of sleep restriction and circadian misalignment, where the internal clock is still on “old time” while training and competition are on “new time.”

For athletes, even mild sleep loss matters. Chronic or repeated sleep restriction is linked to slower reaction time, higher perceived exertion, reduced maximal work rate, and impaired mood, all of which can undermine performance and decision-making in training and competition. Because many athletes already sleep less and with lower sleep efficiency than non‑athletes, losing another hour during DST can further erode recovery.

Effects on performance and recovery

Sleep and circadian rhythm strongly influence neuromuscular function, cognition, and pacing strategy. Reviews of sleep and sport show that reduced sleep (for example, four hours of restriction) can lower maximum work rate and increase cardiovascular strain during submaximal efforts. Athletes with extended, higher‑quality sleep have demonstrated faster sprint times, better shooting accuracy, improved reaction time, and better mood.

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Circadian timing also affects performance independent of total sleep. Physical performance and VO2VO2 max often peak later in the day, tracking the rise in core body temperature and circadian arousal. When DST abruptly shifts external clock time, early‑morning sessions can occur at what is effectively an even earlier circadian phase, which may exacerbate sluggishness, stiffness, and reduced power in those hours. Some team‑based analyses suggest DST does not always produce large, easily detectable changes in group performance metrics, but they still highlight the importance of individual circadian differences and sleep behaviors.

Three practical coping strategies

1. Gradually shift schedule before DSTStarting 3–7 days before the time change, the athlete can move bedtime and wake time earlier by about 15–20 minutes per day, rather than absorbing the full hour at once. This staged adjustment reduces acute sleep loss on the night of the change and helps the circadian clock start shifting ahead using consistent earlier wake‑ups and morning light exposure.

2. Protect sleep and use strategic napsDuring the week after DST, the athlete should prioritize a slightly longer sleep opportunity window (for example, adding 30–60 minutes in bed) to offset the initial hour lost. Short daytime naps of about 20–30 minutes can help restore alertness, reaction time, and mood after sleep restriction without significantly delaying bedtime, which has been shown to benefit sprint performance and reduce sleepiness in athletes.

3. Adjust training timing and intensity brieflyFor several days after “spring forward,” it can help to keep workouts at the usual clock time but reduce intensity or volume by roughly 10–20 percent while the body adjusts. Extending the warm‑up and emphasizing outdoor, light‑exposed sessions in the morning support circadian realignment and reduce injury risk when the athlete feels more tired, stiff, or less coordinated than usual.

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REFERENCES

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Teo, W., Newton, M. J., & McGuigan, M. R. (2011). Circadian rhythms in exercise performance: Implications for hormonal and muscular adaptation. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3761508/​

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Smith, S. (2021, March 11). How to maintain your training levels during the transition to Daylight Saving Time. Military.com. https://www.military.com/military-fitness/how-maintain-your-training-levels-during-transition-daylight-saving-time​

Aaptiv. (2026, March 5). How to adjust your workout routine for Daylight Saving Time. Aaptiv Magazine. https://aaptiv.com/magazine/workout-routine-for-daylight-saving-time​

Karthikeyan, R., et al. (2024). Circadian rhythm in sportspersons and athletic performance. Physiología del Ejercicio. https://www.fisiologiadelejercicio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Circadian-rhythm-in-sportspersons-and-athletic.pdf

Smith, R. S., et al. (2022). Springing forward: The influence of Daylight Saving Time on team performance in American professional sport. Sleep, 45(Suppl 1), A61. https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/45/Supplement_1/A61/6592429​