The Impacts of the time change

Earlier this month, Daylight Saving Time came to an end, leading to much darker evenings and the start of new routines. But did you know that the switch between Standard Time and Daylight Saving Time has impacts? 

Daylight Saving Time is a period of the year between spring and fall when clocks are set an hour ahead of standard time. Standard Time was first adopted in 1883 in the United States and Daylight Saving Time was adopted in the U.S. through the Calder Act in 1918 during World War I. Daylight Saving time was abolished after the war but was reestablished in 1966 through the Uniform Time Act and is still in effect today in most of the United States. 

A recent Stanford Medicine study that looked at circadian rhythms found that the switch between Standard Time and Daylight Saving Time has negative health impacts and that staying in Standard Time would benefit most people by decreasing rates of stroke and obesity. 

Psychotherapist at Tamarack Health, Thomas Undine, says that he also believes the time switch does have an impact on health.  

“I think it affects people especially on the margins if you’re already having difficulty with sleep. It certainly doesn’t help there to have those changes. It can lead to increased stress and anxiety. And the Serb sleep patterns in general just affect our overall mood and can lead to more insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty getting up,” says Undine. 

It’s an ongoing debate on if the switch should be eliminated. Wisconsin introduced a bipartisan bill in April to eliminate daylight saving time and establish a year-round standard time. However, the bill has not advanced in the Legislature. 

Undine recommends adjusting your bedtime and giving yourself an extra thirty minutes to manage the time change better, as well as taking naps, getting more sunlight, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and screens before bedtime