Written by Dr. Michelle Ní Raghallaigh, Insomnia Specialist and Neuroscientist PhD.
For many of us, this past summer meant longer evenings, late nights, trips away, and a welcome break from routine. But now that autumn has come around, it’s common to feel that our sleep has fallen out of sync. You might find yourself lying awake at night, waking too early, or just finding it harder to get the deep, restorative sleep you need. If you’re facing the autumn and winter ahead feeling more exhausted than refreshed, you’re absolutely not alone. The good news is that your sleep can be reset, and autumn is actually the perfect time to do it.
Why summer disrupts our sleep
Summer brings with it a mix of factors that can throw off even the best of sleepers:
- Heat! This past summer was a hot one, wasn’t it! Warm nights make both falling asleep and staying asleep notoriously more difficult. That’s because our core body temperature naturally needs to drop by about 1°C in the evening to signal the onset of sleep. When the bedroom is too warm, this cooling process is disrupted, making it harder to drift off and more likely that you’ll wake during the night. Heat also delays the release of melatonin, the hormone that helps prepare the body for sleep, adding another barrier to getting good rest.
- Travel and jet lag can shift our circadian clock by hours or even days.
- Late evenings and social events, perhaps with alcohol, affect sleep quality and timing.
- Routine disruption, with school holidays, children at home, or travel, means that sleep schedules often get disrupted.
The result? By the time autumn arrives, many people find themselves wide awake at night, hitting the snooze button in the morning, or running on empty through the day.
Why autumn is an ideal time to reset
The good news is that the months of September and October create natural opportunities to restore healthy sleep:
- Cooler nights in autumn provide a natural advantage for sleep. Research consistently shows that lower bedroom temperatures (around 16–18°C) help the body release melatonin, fall asleep more easily, and maintain deeper, more restorative sleep (Okamoto-Mizuno & Mizuno, 2012; Lan et al., 2017).
- Longer, darker evenings allow melatonin to rise more naturally; controlled studies show a longer nocturnal melatonin signal under winter-like (short-day) conditions, which supports easier sleep onset (Skelton & Dijk, 2021).
- Whether it’s work, school, or daily structure, the transition into autumn gives us routine; such daily anchor points are beneficial for consistent sleep (Matricciani et al., 2024).
- Just as January feels like a fresh start, September often brings that ‘back-to-school’, motivational energy. It’s the ideal moment to make lasting changes before the winter ahead!
Three practical steps to reset our sleep
Here are three science-backed strategies you can use straight away to start resetting your sleep:
Re-anchor your rise time
Pick a consistent rise time and stick to it; every day, including weekends. This is the single most powerful cue for your body clock. Once your rise time is set, your bedtime will naturally adjust to match your sleep drive.
Rebuild your sleep drive
Your body builds ‘pressure’ for sleep throughout the day. If you nap for too long or spend excessive time in bed awake, you release that pressure prematurely. Staying active in the day, avoiding long naps, and only going to bed when sleepy help you build a strong drive to sleep deeply at night.
Get daylight outdoors
In the autumn, it takes a little more effort to get the daylight that our circadian rhythm needs to keep our sleep consistent. This means getting outdoors (ideally in the morning) even for a short time every day becomes all the more important! Even on a grey Cambridge morning, outdoor light is still 10–20 times stronger than indoor lighting; enough to benefit your circadian rhythm and your sleep! If you don’t have a chance to get outdoors, even sitting in front of/close to a window will be helpful.
When to seek help
For many people, these adjustments are enough to reset their sleep within a week or two. But if your sleep problems persist, or if you find yourself feeling anxious about sleep, dreading bedtime, or noticing fatigue affecting your work, health, or relationships, it might be time to seek professional support.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold-standard, evidence-based treatment for chronic insomnia. Unlike sleeping medications, which only provide temporary relief, CBT-I is long-lasting; it retrains your sleep system and addresses the underlying patterns that keep insomnia going. Research shows that most people notice lasting improvements within 6–8 weeks.
Ready for an Autumn Sleep Reset?
If your sleep has slipped recently, now is the perfect time to take action. At The Sleep Sphere, I offer a structured programme of CBT-I, combining neuroscience, psychology, and practical strategies to help you sleep naturally again. I currently have limited assessment slots available this September and October for new clients in Cambridge and online.
Final thoughts
Difficulty sleeping isn’t something you should put up with long-term. With the right tools and support, you can reset your sleep, restore your energy, and head into the winter ahead feeling your best.
Book your appointment today and take your first step towards better sleep
Image credit: Photo by lilartsy on Unsplash