How daylight saying time can impact your health

Most Americans live in places that observe daylight saving time, meaning they set their clocks forward an hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall. However, a 2021 survey from the Associated Press and NORC found that only 25% of Americans want to continue the practice.

Although a one-hour time change may not seem significant, our internal clocks can struggle to keep up with the sudden shift in time.

"[I]t turns out that the master clock in our brain is pretty hard-wired" to a consistent 24-hour cycle, said Fred Turek, director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology at Northwestern University. "The internal clock has to catch up, and it takes a day or two to adjust to the new time."

Separately, Sanam Hafeez, an adjunct assistant professor of psychology at Columbia University, said that, as the winter months approach, "[t]he [decrease] in daylight can throw off a lot of things including socialization and emotional rhythm."

Research has also found other negative health impacts associated with daylight saving time. For example, multiple studies have found increased rates of ED visits and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, depression, and suicide following shifts related to daylight saving time.

In addition, a 2020 NIH study found that around 150,000 Americans experienced physical health issues as a result of daylight saving time changes, including strokes, heart attacks, mood changes, and accidents.

Although some lawmakers have pushed to make daylight saving time permanent, experts say that standard time is actually better for our health since it is most aligned with our natural circadian rhythms.

In the spring and summer, daylight saving time pushes sunrises and sunsets an hour later and further away from our natural circadian rhythms. However, standard time makes it so the sun is directly above us at noon, which is most aligned with our internal clocks.

"Essentially, standard time is what keeps us sane, despite the short days of winter," said Karin Johnson, a professor of neurology and a sleep medicine specialist.

7 ways to reduce the effects of daylight saving time

To reduce the negative health impacts of daylight saving time ending, here are seven tips:

1. Change when you go to bed and wake up

Before daylight saving time ends, try going to bed and waking up later in the day so you can adjust to the one-hour shift. The night before, you should try to stay up an hour after your usual bedtime.

2. Adjust your kids' schedules ahead of time

According to experts, shifting your kids' schedules in the days before daylight saving time ends can help them better adjust to the time change and feel less drowsy when they go to school on Monday.

3. Change your clocks

"The brain looks for visual cues to know what time it is," said Carol Ash, a sleep expert from RWJBarnabas Health. To help yourself adjust to the upcoming time change, you can change the time on your watch and clocks to 15 minutes behind each day before daylight saving time ends.

4. Avoid taking naps

"If you feel sleepy the day after the change, try to resist taking a nap because this will reduce the amount of sleep pressure present at bedtime and can create longer term sleep problems," said Candice Alfano, director of the University of Houston's Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston. "If you must nap, keep it to 15 to 20 minutes, ideally in the late morning."

5. Get more sunlight

With the end of daylight saving time, there will be fewer hours of sunlight, so you should try to get in as much sun as you can when you're awake. "Light has potent effects on our internal body clock and will help you feel less tired," Alfano said.

6. Practice good sleep hygiene

No matter the time of year, it's important to have good-quality sleep. Some habits that can help improve your sleep include limiting screen activity before bed, having a consistent bedtime, exercising regularly (but not too close to bedtime), reducing your caffeine and alcohol intake, and managing your stress levels.

7. Be careful when driving

When there are time changes, whether it is losing or gaining an hour, there is an increased risk of car accidents. It's important to be extra careful when you're driving in the first few days after a time change. (Associated Press, 10/27; Jacoby et al., TODAY, 9/5)

Many Americans welcome the extra hour of sleep we get when we turn our clocks back in the fall — but the time change "can influence our health in unexpected ways," Allison Aubrey reports for NPR’s "Shots."