Central Florida mental health therapist discusses daylight saving disruptions, adjustments
Licensed marriage and family therapist, Cherlette McCullough, joins WESH 2 to explain internal clocks and the toll our minds, bodies take on during the natural recalibration
ONE WEEK INTO SPRINGING FORWARD. AND WHEN OUR PHYSICAL CLOCKS CHANGE, OUR INTERNAL CLOCKS DUE TO, EXPERTS SAY LOSING JUST ONE HOUR NOT ONLY THROWS UP OUR SLEEP, BUT IT CAN IMPACT OUR MOOD AND OUR FOCUS. AND SO IF YOU’RE STILL STRUGGLING TO ADJUST LIKE ME, ONE, YOU’RE NOT ALONE. AND TWO, I’M TOLD THIS IS NORMAL. IT IS NORMAL. SO THE EXPERTS SAY. JOINING ME NOW TO HELP US ALL RESET IS PSYCHOTHERAPIST. CALL US. GOOD MORNING. I’M GLAD TO BE HERE. I WAS JUST TELLING YOU WE ARE ENTERING THE SECOND WEEK AND I AM STILL SO MESSED UP FROM IT. THIS IS NORMAL AND I THINK A LOT OF US ARE. I’M SEEING A LOT OF MY CLIENTS ARE FEELING THAT WAY AS WELL. AND THIS WEEK, GIVE YOURSELF SOME GRACE. YOU KNOW, JUST TO GO THROUGH THIS ENTIRE DIFFERENCE. THIS IS AN ADJUSTMENT, YOU KNOW, AND RIGHT NOW WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO, OUR BRAINS ARE TRYING TO DO IS JUST TRYING TO ADJUST TO THIS ONE HOUR. AND SOMETIMES WE THINK JUST BECAUSE IT’S ONE HOUR THAT IT SHOULD BE OKAY, RIGHT? BUT YOUR BRAIN DON’T AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST BECAUSE OUR CLOCKS ADJUST. SO WHAT IS IT THAT OUR BRAINS ARE TRYING TO FILTER? ACTUALLY, OUR INTERNAL CLOCKS, RIGHT? IT’S TRYING TO RECALIBRATE TO THAT ONE HOUR OF SLEEP BECAUSE WE DID LOSE AN HOUR OF SLEEP, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE THIS THING CALLED, AND YOU PROBABLY HEARD THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM, RIGHT? IT’S OUR INTERNAL BIOLOGICAL CLOCK AND IT TELLS US WHEN TO WAKE UP, WHEN TO GO TO SLEEP, WHEN TO FEEL ALERT. AND SO WHEN THESE CHANGES HAPPEN, OUR BRAINS ARE LIKE, WHAT’S GOING ON? HOW DO I RECALIBRATE? HOW DO I GET ON THIS SCHEDULE? YEAH. AND WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF MOOD CHANGES TOO. I FEEL LIKE ACROSS THE BOARD, WHAT DOES IT DO TO OUR MOOD? WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT’S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. MOOD AND SLEEP ARE VERY CLOSELY RELATED. YOU KNOW LACK OF SLEEP WILL CAUSE MOODINESS. IT WILL CAUSE US TO HAVE EMOTIONAL MELTDOWNS. CONCENTRATION ISSUES, FEELING FOGGY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. YES. YEAH. AND I HAVE TWO KIDS. BOTH OF THEM ARE MESSED UP TOO. I’VE GOT A SIX MONTH OLD AND A TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD, AND THEY MESSED UP TOO WELL, THE SLEEP, IT’S THE SLEEP, I THINK. AND YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS SHOWCASE IN CHILDREN? SEEN IT’S HARD FOR THEM TO WAKE UP. THEY’RE NOT WANTING TO GET UP. YOU’RE PROBABLY SEEING EMOTIONAL MELTDOWNS. YOU MIGHT SEE SOME BEHAVIORS IN SCHOOL. YOU MIGHT SEE THEM ACTING IN A WAY THAT’S NOT NORMAL FOR THEM, BUT IT’S THEIR BRAINS JUST TRYING TO RECALIBRATE TO THIS CHANGE. AND WHAT’S IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS IS TO CONTINUE WITH THAT CONSISTENCY OF ROUTINE FOR THEM. THOSE WAKE HOURS, THOSE SLEEP HOURS, TAKING AWAY SCREEN TIME BEFORE BED, ALL THOSE THINGS CONTINUE DOING THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE MELTDOWNS, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY SAY, I DON’T WANT TO GO TO BED, YOU KNOW, OR I DON’T WANT TO GET UP RIGHT NOW, OR I DON’T WANT JUST RECOGNIZE THEY’RE TRYING TO RECALIBRATE AS WELL. OKAY. AND WHAT ARE SOME STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE TO HELP OUR ENTIRE FAMILY? THIS IS THE REALLY, REALLY GOOD STUFF. ONE IS GETTING SUNLIGHT WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF WAKING UP. DO YOUR BEST TO GET INTO SUNLIGHT BECAUSE WHAT SUNLIGHT DOES, IT SENDS A SIGNAL TO YOUR BRAIN TO TELL YOU THAT IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP. AND YOU NEED THAT DURING THIS TIME, BECAUSE A LOT OF US JUST WANT TO SLEEP IN AND LIKE WE HAVE HERE ON THE SCREEN, SETTING YOUR BEDTIME AND YOUR WAKE TIME, NOT JUST BEDTIME, YOUR WAKE TIME AS WELL. IT HELPS YOU GET BACK IN THE ROUTINE OF WAKING UP ON TIME, GOING TO BED ON TIME, AND HAVING THAT FEELING OF RESET AND REST. ANOTHER ONE LIMITING YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE. SANIKA. OH, I’M ON MY THIRD CUP OF COFFEE. YES. WELL, YOU KNOW, IN THE MORNING IT’S FINE, BUT LATE AFTERNOON OR LATE EVENING? OKAY. ANOTHER ONE IS LIMITING YOUR SCREEN TIME 1 OR 2 HOURS BEFORE BED. AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR TELEVISION AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. THESE ARE ALL GREAT TIPS. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE THEM FOR YOU ON WESH.COM AS WELL. CHARLOTTE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US NAVIGATE THIS. I DON’T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE EVEN THE SECOND WEEK INTO THIS TIME CHANGE, IT’S VERY NORMAL. REMEMBER, GIVE YOURSELF GRACE AND THOSE AROUND YOU. GIVE THEM
Central Florida mental health therapist discusses daylight saving disruptions, adjustments
Licensed marriage and family therapist, Cherlette McCullough, joins WESH 2 to explain internal clocks and the toll our minds, bodies take on during the natural recalibration
Updated: 9:27 AM EDT Mar 16, 2026
Licensed marriage and family therapist, Cherlette McCullough, joins WESH 2 to explain internal clocks and how to help your body in its natural reset amid daylight saving time.McCullough says losing just one hour can throw off more than just sleep. The loss can impact mood, focus and energy levels for several days. For those who may be dealing with anxiety, depression, or stress, the adjustment can feel even stronger.Click here to learn more and contact McCullough.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Licensed marriage and family therapist, Cherlette McCullough, joins WESH 2 to explain internal clocks and how to help your body in its natural reset amid daylight saving time.
McCullough says losing just one hour can throw off more than just sleep. The loss can impact mood, focus and energy levels for several days.
For those who may be dealing with anxiety, depression, or stress, the adjustment can feel even stronger.
Click here to learn more and contact McCullough.