When daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, clocks “go back” one hour, which means extra sleep.
It may sound pleasant, but experts say that in the long run, daylight savings can take a toll on your mood, sleep schedule, social schedule, and more, and it’s linked to less daylight, an increase in melatonin, which tells our bodies to go to bed earlier, and an impact on hormones.
Not being able to drive at night can also lead to social isolation, which can lead to mood swings towards depression.
Many states are considering eliminating or eliminating daylight saving time altogether. Some health groups, including: american medical association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine Medicine has also long called for the adoption of standard time year-round, according to the Associated Press.
A new study from Stanford University agrees that transitioning is the worst choice for your health. The study found that sticking to one of the two time options would be slightly healthier, but that permanent standard time was slightly better. AP says this is because these times are better aligned with the sun and human biology, or circadian rhythms.
“It’s a snowball effect,” said Brianna Garrison, an associate professor at Southern Connecticut State University. Department of Social Welfare I have expertise in older adults and social interactions.
“Sleep is critical to other functions of the body. Any changes in your circadian rhythm can put you at risk for physical and mental health complications,” she said.
The good news is that people can “get creative” in solving all of these problems.
Be “intentional, mindful, and deliberate” to solve problems.
For example, if you typically meet friends for dinner but don’t want to drive at night because of your eyesight or the weather, switch to lunchtime to increase interaction and get some much-needed sunlight, she said.
When it comes to social interactions, it’s important to keep things going, even if you’re not in person. For example, a book club can be held over the phone or via Zoom, even if not in person.
“The sun tells our bodies when to go to sleep,” Garrison said. So less sunlight means more sleep and less exposure to daylight or sunlight, which means less mood-boosting hormones.
“Due to hormonal changes in the fall, you may need to change your routine and try to get as much sunlight as possible,” she said.
One suggestion Garrison offers is to not change your sleep schedule, but to go to bed earlier, get more sunlight in the morning, and take time to take a walk outside. She said not to reduce the amount of sleep you get because of the health risks.
She suggested going to bed 15 minutes earlier and waking up 15 minutes later.
Garrison said the three easy things to do are:
- Find ways to spend your mornings outside.
- Buy a lightbox that creates effects like hormones or sunlight. Now the price is cheaper.
- Maintain physical exercise. You can also walk around the house if the weather or darkness gets in the way.
Garrison said that in the winter, there is less serotonin, the happiness hormone, and more melatonin, the depression hormone.
“Do it strategically, incrementally, and have a plan,” she said. “Measure your internal pulse. How does it affect you?”
She said the weather would get colder during that period and it would get dark earlier in the “compound” quarantine. She said after daylight saving time, the sun sets around 5 p.m.
“Ask yourself, ‘How can I connect socially?’” Garrison said.
He told me to plan for some sunlight and social interaction because dinner clubs aren’t that great because it’s dark when you don’t have a job. Meeting friends for lunch might be better than dinner, or joining a senior center might be worth it.
She said it’s important to stay connected, even if it’s over the phone.
“Isolation can take a toll,” she said.
She said older people, as well as teenagers, are more affected by sleep changes. Teens may show mood swings, attention problems, or underlying behavioral problems once daylight saving time ends. Garrison said hospital admission rates are higher in the fall and spring when times change.
Where did daylight saving time originate?
According to Courant archives, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 unifies daylight saving time throughout the United States and its territories and allows Congress or the Secretary of Transportation to change time zone boundaries.
The bill specifies that daylight saving time shall be in effect from 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March until 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November in areas not specifically exempted.
The origins of daylight saving time are related to commerce, the archive said.
“In 1883, the American and Canadian railroads adopted a four-zone system to manage operations and reduce confusion caused by the conflicting approximately 100 regionally set ‘solar times’ observed at terminals across the country.” US Department of Transportation Website status. “States and local governments then adopted one of four time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones.”
Observance of daylight saving time began in Europe during World War I.
The DOT website states, “Federal oversight of time zones began with the enactment of the Standard Time Act of 1918. The Act gave the Interstate Commerce Commission responsibility for establishing the boundaries between time zones in the continental United States.”
DST was first observed in the United States and was quickly abolished on August 20, 1919.
The National Conference of State Legislatures lists 35 states that have or are considering legislation related to daylight saving time, and many other states do so every year.
For states with daylight saving time, it begins on the second Sunday in March when clocks “go forward” and ends each year on the first Sunday in November when clocks “go back.”
Who doesn’t observe daylight saving time?
Except for the Navajo Nation, Hawaii and Arizona do not observe daylight saving time. All U.S. territories, including Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, also do not observe federal daylight saving time. Ministry of Transportation, It’s about supervising time.
In 2022, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would make daylight saving time the new permanent standard time starting in November 2023, but the bill did not pass the House of Representatives. In recent years, state legislatures have reportedly considered at least 650 bills and resolutions to institute a full year of daylight saving time, if federal law allows it. National Conference of State Legislatures.
