Daylight Savings Has Its Dark Side
San Andreas, CA — Time to spring forward and set clocks one hour ahead for daylight savings time at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, and local health officials advise on how the time change can impact health.
There are drawbacks to daylight saving time, according to Mark Twain Medical Center in Calaveras County. The abrupt change in time can have a detrimental effect on health, especially if it causes sleep deprivation, underscoring the significance of taking time shifts into account. Increased health and safety hazards have been associated with the switch to daylight saving time (DST), especially when sleep is missed. According to a study by Current Biology, in the week following the clock change, there was a 6% rise in fatal auto accidents in the United States. Increased health and safety hazards have been associated with the switch to daylight saving time (DST), especially when sleep is missed. An increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and occupational injuries has also been connected to sleep deprivation.
“The good news is that there are steps you can take to minimize the impact of the time change,” says Dr. Pardeep Athwal, Chief Medical Officer at Mark Twain Medical Center. “Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime, and make sure to prioritize getting at least seven hours of sleep in the days following the transition.”
One of the main causes of these adverse consequences is the disturbance of the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock. Health officials share that melatonin, the hormone that tells the body to wind down for sleep, is delayed by prolonged evening light, which results in shorter and poorer-quality sleep. Additionally, a higher incidence of mood disorders, such as anxiety and sadness, is associated with sleep abnormalities. In the week after the time change, people should exercise caution when driving and doing other jobs that need complete focus, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
