{"id":"f-445134d771-74eb46bf-9236-5693-be7c-83fa5ad7a9be","title":"Impact of Daylight Saving Time on Health and Sleep Patterns","description":"Daylight saving time, starting Sunday, can disrupt sleep patterns and pose health risks, including increased heart attacks and strokes. Experts recommend strategies for adjustment.","timestamp":1773051723,"category":"food_and_health","headline":"Impact of Daylight Saving Time on Health and Sleep Patterns","modifiedHeadline":"US: Losing Sleep as Time Shifts","subCategories":["scid_67e09d1c"],"subcategoriesName":["Health Tips"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"94492560-36a1-4b57-9385-e839f7818488","bundleTitle":"Find Inner Peace","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"310","fcSummary":"most of the u.s. transitions to daylight saving time sunday, losing an hour of sleep. this shift disrupts circadian rhythms, potentially increasing fatigue, health risks like heart attacks and strokes, and car accidents. while some adjust sleep schedules, it's challenging, especially for sleep-deprived individuals. experts suggest morning sunlight and routine adjustments. debates continue regarding permanent daylight saving time or standard time.","summary":"Daylight saving time starts Sunday, disrupting sleep & posing health risks like heart attacks. Experts advise adjusting routines.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/news/IN/en/timesnow/f-445134d771-74eb46bf-9236-5693-be7c-83fa5ad7a9be","sourceUrl":"https://www.timesnownews.com/agency-news/impact-of-daylight-saving-time-on-health-and-sleep-patterns-article-153771828","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/6-TWbZS10H70.webp","content":"

On Sunday, most of the United States will transition to daylight saving time, resulting in a loss of one hour of sleep. This change can lead to increased

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fatigue and potential health risks. The shift in time alters the body's natural circadian rhythm, which can result in sleep disturbances that may persist for weeks. Research has indicated a correlation between this time change and an increase in heart attacks and strokes.

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Start of Daylight Saving Time

Daylight saving time commences on Sunday at 2 a.m., causing many Americans to lose an hour of sleep. This practice will revert on November 1, when clocks will 'fall back' to standard time.\n
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\nNotably, Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe this time change, opting for standard time throughout the year, along with territories such as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Globally, numerous countries also implement daylight saving time, though the start and end dates vary.\n
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\nTo prepare for the transition, some individuals attempt to adjust their sleep schedule by going to bed earlier for several nights leading up to the time change. However, this adjustment can be particularly challenging for the one-third of U.S. adults who already fail to achieve the recommended seven hours of sleep each night.\n
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Effects of Increased Evening Light

The human brain operates on a master clock influenced by light exposure, regulating sleepiness and alertness through a circadian rhythm. This cycle typically lasts around 24 hours and can shift with age, contributing to the difficulty teenagers experience in waking up early.\n
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\nMorning sunlight helps reset this rhythm, while melatonin levels increase in the evening, promoting sleepiness. However, extended evening light due to daylight saving time can disrupt this cycle by delaying melatonin production.\n
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\nSleep deprivation is associated with various health issues, including heart disease, cognitive decline, and obesity. Additionally, the circadian clock influences heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones, and metabolic processes.\n
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Health Implications of Time Changes

Research indicates that fatal car accidents rise in the days immediately following the spring time change, with the greatest risk occurring in the morning. Experts attribute this increase to sleep deprivation.\n
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\nFurthermore, the American Heart Association has identified a rise in heart attacks on the Monday following the start of daylight saving time, along with an uptick in strokes in the subsequent days.\n
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\nMedical professionals note that heart attacks, particularly severe cases, are statistically more common on Mondays and in the morning hours when blood is more prone to clotting. While the exact reasons for this correlation with the time change remain unclear, it is plausible that the abrupt disruption of circadian rhythms exacerbates pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure.\n
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Strategies for Adjusting to Time Changes

Experts recommend exposure to morning sunlight during the first week of daylight saving time to help reset the body's internal clock. Adjusting daily routines, such as meal times and exercise schedules, may also assist in the transition.\n
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\nHowever, reliance on afternoon naps and caffeine, as well as exposure to evening light from screens, can complicate the adjustment process, making it harder to adopt an earlier bedtime.\n
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Future of Daylight Saving Time

Each year, discussions arise regarding the potential elimination of the time change. During his second term campaign, former President Donald Trump expressed intentions to abolish daylight saving time. A bipartisan proposal known as the Sunshine Protection Act, aimed at making daylight saving time permanent, has repeatedly stalled in Congress.\n
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\nContrary to this proposal, several health organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, advocate for the elimination of time changes altogether. They argue that maintaining standard time year-round would better align with natural sunlight patterns and human biology, promoting more consistent sleep.\n
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Impact of Daylight Saving Time on Health and Sleep Patterns

SUMMARY