Author: Hannah Gantt, LPCC
As a kid in school there were fewer things I enjoyed more than finding out I got an extra hour of sleep on a Fall weekend every year. It was almost as much fun as realizing my night shift at the hospital was an hour shorter in the Spring. As I got older and realized the public health impact, I developed a very different take on things.
DST was originally implemented in 1918 as a means of saving energy, particularly during wartime. The idea was to shift the hour from the morning to the evening to allow people to better use the light for different activities. Unlike a fine wine, that decision has not aged well.
Over the years a large body of evidence has accumulated showing the impact of abrupt changes in DST. The most obvious one is the sleep disruption, with people getting an average of 40 minutes less sleep on the Monday afterwards. There is a 24% higher risk of heart attacks the first few days after the change due to the abrupt change in your sleep cycle combined with the stress of starting a new work week. There is even a 6% jump in car accidents during the week after we lose an hour in Spring. The interrupted sleep leads to poor recovery, difficulty with focus and even an interruption in the balance of your hormones.
The biggest impact of DST occurs with our Mental Health, leading to increased rates of Anxiety, Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Fall. Aptly nicknamed SAD, it is known for persistently low mood, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and irritability. Your energy is often low with some difficulty remembering things. Interrupted sleep even leads to carbohydrate cravings which is one of the reasons we gain weight in the winter.
We are all creatures of habit and thrive with healthy routines. When there is consistency and predictability, it allows our bodies to fine tune and calibrate our hormones that affect sleep and recovery, leading to optimal performance the next day. One of the biggest cues our minds use is the light from the sun. Sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep. Abrupt adjustments with DST is equivalent to swerving into another lane of traffic. You can easily cause an accident and at a minimum disrupt the flow of cars, much like your hormones.
There are several simple techniques we can use to prepare for DST, much like you should prior to a plane trip to another time zone. Plan to get regular exercise, particularly in the mornings. The light hitting your eyes coupled with a brisk walk, will trigger a release of Cortisol, our ‘wake up’ hormone. You will have the added benefit of Vitamin D production from the light hitting your skin. Several food groups can also increase your mood including fatty fish (Omega 3s), fruits (bananas and berries), and dark chocolate. Finally, take an inventory of yourself every day. Practicing mindfulness via yoga, breathing exercises or meditating for just a few minutes per day can have a profound impact on our health, both mental and physical.
Eventually everyone will follow the way of Hawaii and Arizona and abolish the archaic use of Daylight Savings Time. Until then, take charge of your health and take some steps towards a healthier future.
