The Good and the Bad of Daylight Saving Time
The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It’ll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S.
The End of Daylight Saving Time
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time Sunday, which means you should set your clock back an hour before you go to bed. Standard time will last until March 9 when we will again “spring forward” with the return of daylight saving time.
The Impact on Our Bodies
That spring time change can be tougher on our bodies. Darker mornings and lighter evenings can knock our internal body clock out of whack, making it harder to fall asleep on time for weeks or longer. Studies have even found an uptick in heart attacks and strokes right after the March time change.
Preparing for the Time Change
Some people try to prepare for a time change jolt by changing their bed times little by little in the days before the change. There are ways to ease the adjustment, including getting more sunshine to help reset our circadian rhythm for healthful sleep.
The Debate About Daylight Saving Time
Some health groups, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Lawmakers occasionally propose getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act, proposes making daylight saving time permanent. Health experts say the lawmakers have it backward — standard time should be made permanent.
How the Body Reacts to Light
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.
How Daylight Saving Time Affects Sleep
Even an hour change on the clock can throw off sleep schedules — because even though the clocks change, work and school start times stay the same. That’s a problem because so many people are already sleep deprived. About 1 in 3 U.S. adults sleep less than the recommended seven-plus hours nightly, and more than half of U.S. teens don’t get the recommended eight-plus hours on weeknights.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while an extra hour of sleep may be a welcome change, the darker mornings and evenings that come with daylight saving time can have a negative impact on our bodies. It’s essential to prepare for the time change by adjusting our sleep schedules and getting more sunshine to help reset our circadian rhythm. Additionally, it’s crucial to consider the long-term effects of daylight saving time on our health and well-being.
FAQs
Q: Why do we have daylight saving time?
A: Daylight saving time was first implemented during World War I to conserve energy.
Q: How do most countries handle daylight saving time?
A: Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies.
Q: Will the U.S. ever get rid of daylight saving time?
A: Lawmakers have proposed getting rid of the time change, but so far, no bill has been passed.
Q: How does daylight saving time affect people with seasonal affective disorder?
A: People with seasonal affective disorder may struggle with the shorter days and less sunlight that come with daylight saving time.
