As Americans gear up to spring forward this Sunday, there may be a sense of apprehension lingering in the air anticipating the loss of one precious hour of sleep. Surprisingly, recent findings from a Gallup poll reveal that over half of U.S. adults are now in opposition to daylight saving time, and intriguingly enough, science might just be backing up this sentiment. Experts suggest that the time change does more than simply make our mornings a bit rougher—it actually has a significant impact on our health.
“The spring time change results in widespread sleep deprivation across society,” explains Jennifer Martin, former president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Although the concept of losing just one hour of sleep may not sound like a dramatic alteration, Martin emphasizes that it can have a substantial impact on our overall health, especially considering that a substantial portion of Americans are already grappling with chronic sleep deprivation or various sleep disorders. She notes, “This added disruption exacerbates any existing symptoms individuals may already be experiencing.”
Moreover, the time change brings forth additional adverse health effects due to alterations in our circadian rhythm, which acts as our internal clock closely tied to the 24-hour day. Martin elaborates, “[Daylight saving] essentially disrupts the synchronization between our internal clock and the external environment.”
Transitioning to daylight saving time means that our circadian rhythms no longer align harmoniously with the natural rise and fall of the sun, consequently impacting our health. “During Standard Time, daylight hours correspond more closely with our circadian rhythms,” Martin states. However, this alignment shifts when we spring forward: “With daylight saving time, mornings become darker, which is not beneficial for our overall well-being.”
The act of moving the clocks forward has been associated with heightened symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as a surge in heart attacks and strokes. Studies have also linked daylight saving time with an increase in traffic accidents, absenteeism, and tardiness.
In the past, experts recommended gradually shifting one’s schedule by 15 minutes each day leading up to the time change. However, Martin acknowledges that this approach is not practical for most individuals due to the sudden societal shift that occurs overnight. She warns against relying on sleep aids like melatonin, as they may compound the issue of sleepiness that individuals are already grappling with, potentially affecting alertness the following morning.
Instead, Martin advocates for giving your body the necessary time to adjust to the time change, emphasizing that this disruption is fundamentally biological and cannot be easily overcome through sheer willpower.
For further insights, contact Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com.
