Daylight Saving Time can take a toll on kids’ mental health

Alex Coleman
·2 min read

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s a possible wake up call for you and your teen — Daylight Saving Time goes into effect this weekend, and it may impact your child’s physical and mental health more so than you thought.

Researchers say changes in sleep schedules can cause what’s called social jetlag in teens. We looked at what’s called “social jetlag,” its impact on teen girls and what parents can do about it, starting now.

Dr. Anne Conway, the Urban Child Institute Endowed Professor at the University of Tennessee, has studied the problem.

“A lot of kids who have social jetlag have issues with obesity, behavior problems, mood symptoms,” Conway said. “What we did, we wanted to look at it over time and look at the sex differences over time.”

Daylight saving time: How long until the clocks change, and could it be the last time?

Data found that time changes can lead to more social jetlag in 12-year-olds, also predicted mental health difficulties at age 15, especially for girls, possibly because of puberty.

“We found girls who had more of this social jetlag, more variability in their sleep timing from weekend to weekday, those who had more of that by age 12, long-term at age 15, they had more depressive symptoms and behavior problems and things like that,” Conway said.

Researchers say identifying and addressing social jetlag in girls during middle school and early adolescence is critical.

So, what should parents be doing right now?

They say before Daylight Saving Time kicks in this weekend, parents should control screen time on phones, set consistent bedtime schedules and create a buffer zone before sleep meaning less shock for your teen come Monday morning.

DOWNLOAD the WREG mobile app for news alerts and more

Conway said we need to wind down before we go to sleep.

“We need that hour,” she said. “If we’re on doing all of these exciting things, we’re over aroused. So, the more they can dim the lights, get the children in a bedtime routine, this applies to all of us, it can help them prepare their body for sleep.”

Experts say starting these small habits as early as tonight can help you and your teen before preparing for the upcoming Daylight Saving Time and the possible long-term effects of it.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.