When Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends on Sunday at 2 a.m., clocks "fall back" an hour, seemingly granting an extra hour of sleep. However, experts warn that the shift to less daylight and a disrupted circadian rhythm can negatively impact mood, sleep, and social schedules.
Health Impacts of the Time Change
The shift to earlier sunsets (around 5 p.m.) after the time change means less exposure to daylight in the evening, which, in turn, increases the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for signaling the body to feel sleepy earlier. This misalignment with our internal clock and less sun exposure, which typically boosts mood-regulating hormones like serotonin, can contribute to mood changes and even depression, especially when compounded by social isolation from difficulties driving in the dark or cold weather. Older adults and adolescents are particularly susceptible to these sleep-related and mood changes, with hospital admissions also showing a rise during the spring and fall time shifts.
Permanent Standard Time Recommended
Major health organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have long advocated for adopting permanent standard time year-round. Recent research from Stanford University supports this, finding that the biannual clock change is the least healthy option. While sticking to either permanent DST or permanent standard time would be an improvement, the study concluded that permanent standard time is slightly better because it aligns more closely with the sun and human biology (circadian rhythm).
Expert Strategies for Coping
Brianna Garrison, an associate professor at Southern Connecticut State University's School of Social Work, describes the negative effects as a "snowball effect" and urges people to be "intentional, mindful, and deliberate" in combating them. Her suggestions include
- Prioritize Morning Sunlight: Alter your routine to spend morning time outside, perhaps by going to bed 15 minutes earlier and getting up 15 minutes later to enjoy morning light without reducing total sleep. Sunlight exposure is key to regulating sleep hormones.
- Use a Light Box: Consider purchasing a light box, an increasingly affordable tool that mimics the impact of sunlight and hormones.
- Maintain Social Connection: Combat isolation by changing social activities to earlier in the day (e.g., meeting for lunch instead of dinner) or utilizing virtual platforms like phone calls or Zoom for activities like a book club. Maintaining connection, even if not in person, is crucial.
- Keep Exercising: Maintain physical activity, even if it means walking around the house when weather or darkness is a concern.
- Plan Strategically: Garrison advises, "Do it strategically and incrementally, and have a plan," urging people to monitor their internal well-being.
Background on Daylight Saving Time
Establishment: DST in the U.S. began during World War I and was established nationwide by the Uniform Time Act of 1966. It currently runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Origin: The origin of time zones and DST is linked to commerce, particularly the U.S. and Canadian railroads in 1883, to reduce confusion from conflicting "sun times."
Exemptions: Hawaii and most of Arizona (except the Navajo Nation), along with U.S. territories like Guam and Puerto Rico, do not observe DST.
Elimination Efforts: Many states have considered or passed legislation to eliminate the time change, and the U.S. Senate passed a bill in 2022 to make DST permanent, though it did not pass the House.
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