How Springing Forward to Daylight Saving Time Could Affect Health
Most of America "springs forward" Sunday for daylight saving time and losing that hour of sleep can do more than leave you tired and cranky the next day. It also could harm your health.
When does daylight saving time start?
Daylight saving time begins Sunday at 2 a.m., an hour of sleep vanishing in most of the U.S. The ritual will reverse on Nov. 2 when clocks "fall back" as daylight saving time ends.
What happens to your brain when it’s lighter later?
The brain has a master clock that is set by exposure to sunlight and darkness. This circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that determines when we become sleepy and when we’re more alert. The patterns change with age, one reason that early-to-rise youngsters evolve into hard-to-wake teens.
Morning light resets the rhythm. By evening, levels of a hormone called melatonin begin to surge, triggering drowsiness. Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.
How does the time change affect your health?
Fatal car crashes temporarily jump the first few days after the spring time change, according to a study of U.S. traffic fatalities. The risk was highest in the morning, and researchers attributed it to sleep deprivation.
Then there’s the cardiac connection. The American Heart Association points to studies that suggest an uptick in heart attacks on the Monday after daylight saving time begins, and in strokes for two days afterward.
How to prepare for daylight saving time
Gradually shift bedtimes about 15 or 20 minutes earlier for several nights before the time change, and rise earlier the next morning, too. Go outside for early morning sunshine that first week of daylight saving time, another way to help reset your body’s internal clock. Moving up daily routines, like dinner time or when you exercise, also may help cue your body to start adapting, sleep experts advise.
Will the U.S. ever eliminate the time change?
Every year there’s talk about ending the time change. In December, then-President-elect Donald Trump promised to eliminate daylight saving time. For the last several years, a bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent has stalled in Congress; it has been reintroduced this year.
Conclusion
Losing an hour of sleep can have a significant impact on our health, from increased risk of car accidents to heart problems. By understanding the effects of daylight saving time, we can take steps to mitigate its impact and promote better sleep habits.
FAQs
- When does daylight saving time begin?
- Daylight saving time begins Sunday at 2 a.m.
- What is the impact of daylight saving time on our health?
- Studies have found an uptick in heart attacks and strokes after the spring time change, and an increased risk of car accidents.
- How can I prepare for daylight saving time?
- Gradually shift bedtimes about 15 or 20 minutes earlier for several nights before the time change, and rise earlier the next morning. Go outside for early morning sunshine and adjust daily routines to help your body adapt.
