On This Day: Daylight saving time starts, later condemned by health studies - March 31, 1918

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Daylight saving time

Most of the United States observes daylight saving time, the practice of setting the clock forward by one hour when there is longer daylight during the day, so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less.

During World War I, in an effort to conserve fuel, Germany began observing DST on May 1, 1916. The rest of Europe soon followed. The plan was not adopted in the United States until the Standard Time Act of March 19, 1918, which confirmed the existing standard time zone system and set summer DST to begin on March 31, 1918 (reverting October 27).

Several state and federal representatives have advanced legislation in support of the legalization of using daylight saving time as the year-round clock option. Bills have been introduced in more than 30 states to end DST or make it permanent.

On March 15, 2022, the US Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act by unanimous consent. This change would have meant that Daylight Saving Time zones would no longer return to standard time and remain on DST year round. However it was not passed by the House of Representatives.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has opposed the Sunshine Protection Act and called instead for permanent standard time, a position supported by the American College of Chest Physicians and the World Sleep Society, among others.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States

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Changing Clocks to Daylight Saving Time Is Bad for Your Health
A neurologist explains why our bodies fare better when aligned with the natural light of standard time

But the effects go beyond simple inconvenience. Researchers are discovering that “springing ahead” each March is connected with serious negative health effects, including an uptick in heart attacks and teen sleep deprivation. In contrast, the fall transition back to standard time is not associated with these health effects, as my co-authors and I noted in a 2020 commentary.
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https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/changing-clocks-to-daylight-saving-time-is-bad-for-your-health/

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The dark side of daylight saving time
Why can an hour's time change in spring disrupt our body, sleep, and mental health?

"That one-hour change may not seem like much, but it can wreak havoc on people's mental and physical well-being in the short term," says Dr. Charles Czeisler, professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School's Division of Sleep Medicine.

Research suggests that changing our clocks twice a year can have various health consequences. Of the two, springing ahead one hour tends to be more disruptive. That hour change can upset our circadian rhythms, the body's natural 24-hour cycles regulating key functions like appetite, mood, and sleep.

Many people also have trouble adjusting their sleep schedule to the new time. For the first few days or even a week, they may go to bed later or wake up earlier than usual, which can cause sleep deprivation. One study found that the average person gets 40 minutes less sleep on the Monday after DST begins compared with other nights of the year.

"Disrupted sleep can cause people to feel fatigued, groggy, and less focused," says Dr. Czeisler. This may explain, in part, the 6% rise in car accidents following the spring time change, according to a 2020 study in the journal Current Biology. Poor sleep caused by DST also can exacerbate existing problems like depression, anxiety, and seasonal affective disorder.
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https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-dark-side-of-daylight-saving-time

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Daylight Saving Time and Your Health

"We know that sleep deprivation is bad for your physical and cognitive health," notes Dr. Zee. She explains that the transition to DST can create short-term health problems — sleep issues, fatigue and changes in blood pressure — that feel like prolonged jet lag. "Late starters," or those who wake up later in the morning, as well as teenagers, who tend to be night owls, are more vulnerable to these effects because they already sleep through more hours of natural morning light. DST can further throw off their circadian rhythms.

Additionally, DST can have long-term health effects. Studies show that DST is linked to:

Depression
Slowed metabolism
Weight gain
Cluster headaches
DST has also been linked to increased risk of developing certain disorders, from cognitive and mental health issues to digestive and heart diseases. And, if you already have these conditions, DST can make them worse.

During the week after the shift to DST, research shows an associated rise in:

Cardiovascular disease, with a 24% higher risk of heart attacks
Injuries, including a 6% spike in fatal car accidents
Stroke rate, which increases by 8%
Mental health and cognitive issues, with an 11% spike in depressive episodes
Digestive and immune-related diseases, such as colitis, which increase by 3% in females over age 60

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https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/daylight-savings-time-your-health

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