3 Swaps I’m Making To My Wellness Routine For The Clock Change, As A Nutritionist

This Sunday (25 October) sees the clocks go back, marking the start of shorter days and darker evenings. While an extra hour in bed might sound appealing, the change in daylight can affect our circadian rhythms, which help regulate sleep, energy levels and metabolism. Here, our contributing health editor, nutritionist Kim Pearson, shares three things she is doing to support her health as we head into the darker months.

How To Adapt Your Wellness Routine To The Clock Change

Supplementing Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for bone and muscle health, immune function and maintaining normal calcium levels. Our ability to produce vitamin D through sunlight exposure is reduced during darker months, so the government recommends that we all supplement it throughout autumn and winter in the UK.

When I test my clients, I find vitamin D deficiency to be surprisingly common. In fact, it’s rare that a client I’m working with has optimal levels unless they have been supplementing. My own genes predispose me to low vitamin D levels, so I take a high dose throughout the year. However, vitamin D requirements can vary between individuals, which is why testing can be useful in determining what dose is needed.

If you would like to check your own levels, BetterYou offers a simple at home finger prick vitamin D test. They also offer a range of quality vitamin D supplements for adults and children, including those with vitamin K to support absorption. 

Getting My Light Exposure Right

Light is one of the main signals that regulates our body clock, influencing sleep, mental alertness and other daily biological processes. Getting the right type of light exposure at the right times can help keep our body clock in sync, particularly as daylight hours change.

In the summer, I love getting outside early to walk my dog Lily. In winter, I’m often awake for a while before the sun comes up, so I use a 10,000 lux light therapy lamp in the morning. Once it is light, I get outside in natural daylight for a walk, regardless of the weather! 

In the evening, I minimise exposure to bright light and wear blue light blocking glasses, as light from screens can disrupt melatonin production. It’s worth investing in a quality pair that are guaranteed to block out problematic light such as those from Bon Charge’s range. 

For anyone interested in learning more about our body’s circadian rhythms and how to optimise them, I recommend reading The Circadian Code by Dr Satchin Panda.

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Keeping A Consistent Sleep & Mealtime Routine

Sleep and meal timing both influence the hormones and biological processes involved in appetite regulation and metabolism. Poor sleep can increase hunger and cravings, while inconsistent sleep and wake times and eating late at night can compromise sleep quality and metabolic health.

I aim to keep my bedtime and wake time consistent, even as the days get shorter. I recently bought a Brick device that I have set to deactivate my phone at 9pm every night – this has really helped prevent bedtime scrolling.

I also pay attention to when I eat, aiming to eat meals at around the same time each day, with dinner at least two hours before bed.

Sleep and meal timings are topics I cover in my book, The Nozempic Diet, because they can significantly impact appetite control and our ability to manage weight, as well as other aspects of health. Keeping a consistent routine is a simple habit I aim to maintain throughout the darker months.

Kim Pearson is Country & Town House’s contributing health editor. A qualified nutritionist with almost two decades of clinical experience, and author of The Nozempic Diet, Kim specialises in weight loss, metabolic health and healthy ageing. To find out more about Kim’s work, visit her website kim-pearson.com or follow her on Instagram.