Clocks spring forward Sunday: health and wellness tips for daylight saving time

When daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. Sunday, millions of Americans will lose an hour of sleep when clocks "spring forward" one hour.

But does the loss of 60 minutes of sleep come with a cost?

Daylight saving time changes our circadian rhythm, which can disrupt our biological clocks and impact our health, according to Rutgers University circadian rhythm expert Helmut Zarbl and Andrea Spaeth, director of the Rutgers Sleep Lab.

Daylight saving time is the time between March and November when most Americans change their clocks by one hour, in essence losing an hour. The practice of advancing the clocks is to make better use of longer daylight available during summer and darkness will come later in the day.

In the fall − Nov. 3, 2024 − most Americans will once again turn the clocks back and gain an extra hour. While an extra hour is typically welcome, most dislike that darkness falls earlier in the day, even though more daylight is added to the morning.

Changing the clocks is not popular, as a recent poll by Monmouth University found in 2022. Most − 61% − favored doing away with the twice-a-year time change practice, while only 35% wanted to keep it going.

Also, 44% of those who want to keep a year-round time prefer later sunrise and sunset hours as opposed to the standard time earlier setting. Only 13% preferred that option.

How does daylight saving time affect health?

The time change has an impact on both on mental and physical health,said Zarbl and Spaeth.

Zarbl, director of the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute and chair of the Environmental and Occupational Health Department at the Rutgers School of Public Health, is an expert in circadian rhythm and its influence on sleep-wake cycles.

Understanding how the circadian rhythm works and planning your sleep schedule can make the transition easier, he said.

Circadian rhythm regulates many important biological processes, such as hormone production and sleep patterns, and is largely controlled by external cues in the environment – mainly light, Zarbl said.

"Changing sleep-wake cycles by an hour has an effect on our circadian clock," he said. "Since light is normally a key regulator of our biological clock, the change will shift the phase of our rhythm away from that of the central pacemaker. As with any phase change, this will cause disturbances in sleep, metabolism, mood, bodily functions and productivity."

After the switch to daylight saving time, people may feel "sleepy, listless, stressed and tired for a while," Zarbl said.

Daylight saving time–associated changes also result in higher rates of automobile and workplace accidents. A few studies have even suggested a slight increase in heart attacks and stroke, probably in those already at a higher risk.

How to cope with daylight saving time change

As with any change in sleep cycles due to situations like shift work or jet lag, it takes about a week to reset your biological clock.

Zarbl suggests resisting the urge to "fight the change" or "keep referring to the previous time schedule." He recommends adjusting eating and sleeping schedules accordingly. Also, avoid using caffeine and other stimulants or drugs to help adjust.

"The sooner you adapt, the sooner you will feel normal again," he said. "You change the clock at 2 a.m. on Sunday, so don’t wait until Monday to make the necessary change."

Spaeth said to best navigate the time change, people should expose themselves to natural light in the morning upon waking. Also, taking a brief walk outside before work is an effective way to synchronize a body's internal clock and help sleep better at night.

"This can help your body adjust more quickly," she said.

Children also are impacted similarly by the time change, Spaeth said.

"For most kids, a gradual shift – say, about 15 minutes a night – in their bedtime will be easier than a sudden one-hour shift," she said. "So, parents can help by starting the shift gradually a few nights before the time change."

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Daylight saving time health tips