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It's that time again.
Leaves have begun falling.
The calendar flips to November.
And, beginning Sunday, the 9-to-5-ers of the world will begin to see it getting dark outside before their commute home.
That's right, it's time to turn your clocks back one hour.
While the temperature may not feel like autumn yet, we will soon begin preparing for family meals, toy drives, and holiday parties.
And on Sunday, we have the unique opportunity to enjoy one extra guilt-free hour of sleep.
While this may seem like a dream to some (no pun intended), health experts have argued that switching the time back and forth disrupts the body's natural day-to-night rhythms.
In 2023, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine advocated for state and federal legislation making standard time permanent across the nation.
Research in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine noted the shift in time has been associated with heart attacks, strokes, abnormal heart rhythms, sleep disruption, mood disturbances, and even suicide.
A study of Michigan emergency room visits even showed that the number of heart attacks went up by about 25 percent in the week following the time change.
But there are some things you can do to make the transition easier on your body.
Experts recommend altering their bedtimes gradually to accommodate the change.
Allow yourself a 20-minute nap while transitioning to standard time -- but not after 3 p.m.
Finally, don't forget to increase your exposure to sunlight during the day throughout the season to lessen the effects of the winter blues.