Daylight Saving Time will be ending on November 1, 2020, at 2:00 a.m., at which point we will turn our clocks back one hour. While this is often referred to as “falling back,” the idea that you are “gaining” an hour of sleep is really a fallacy. More than an inconvenience, the disruptions caused by Daylight Saving Time can actually hurt your health.

About a century ago, when the idea of Daylight Saving Time was introduced, its goal was to make better use of natural daylight and also save energy. Less dependency on artificial light saved money back in the early 1900s. Still, in modern society where we embrace computers, TVs, and other electronics, we are more plugged in than ever. The argument for energy-saving no longer applies. When we “spring forward” in March and “fall back” in November, we aren’t actually losing or gaining time. Changing the clock is really just a readjustment of daylight hours. We gradually add daylight to the afternoon and evening hours in the spring, maximizing evening light as we enter summer. In the fall, we add light back into the morning hours resulting in our days getting darker earlier. 

Researchers are finding more and more evidence that Daylight Saving Time disrupts our body’s natural biological clock and has a negative impact on our health. This internal clock drives what are known as circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles that regulate different processes in our bodies. One of the most recognized circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle. Circadian rhythms are greatly influenced by environmental cues, especially light. When we change our clocks this November, we will lack the early morning natural light needed to keep our bodies in a natural rhythm. The result is a feeling of exhaustion, fatigue, and moodiness. 

Circadian rhythms are also greatly affected by changes in daily routine and social cues, making Daylight Saving Time 2020 even more challenging. As if living with Coronavirus wasn’t enough of a disruption in our lives, we now get another reason to be sleep deprived. According to the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews, it can take anywhere from 2 days to 1 week to adjust to the transitional change of just 1 hour during Daylight Saving Time. 

For some people, the promise of “gaining” an hour of sleep in the fall is replaced with the inability to fall asleep, waking up during the night, or having trouble staying asleep due to changes in circadian rhythm. More severe consequences brought on by the sudden sleep disruption of Daylight Saving Time include reported increases in ER visits, traffic accidents, and heart attacks at both the beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends we switch to year-round standard time, eliminating the March and November changes to fully align with our natural circadian rhythms. Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation), Hawaii, and all US territories are on year-round standard time. Several states have tried to make the switch, but few have made any progress. In the meantime, there are steps we can all take to make the transitional period of Daylight Saving Time less jarring to our systems, especially if started up to one week before the change:

• Expose yourself to natural, early morning light to help reset your internal clock.

• Adjust your sleep by going to bed and waking up 15-30 minutes earlier to adjust to the new time.

• Shift back meal times by 30 minutes so you will only be off your standard time by half an hour. Meal times are another critical cue for circadian rhythms.

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine since they are both sleep interrupters.

• Exercise, particularly if on a consistent schedule, will help you sleep better as long as you don’t do it too close to bedtime.

• Be extra defensive when driving since accidents do statistically go up around Daylight Saving Time.

Suppose we start thinking of sleep as the third pillar of good health and plan and prepare for it the way we do with diet and exercise. In that case, we can help mitigate the effects of Daylight Saving Time and help preserve our overall health and well-being.