That time is looming around the corner yet again. No, we don’t mean the holidays (though that will come in a later blog!). We mean Daylight Savings Time. While some people love getting the extra hour during “fall back”, others don’t find it so great. And almost everyone can agree that “spring forward” is the worst. But why is it that we have such a difficult time with DST?
Daylight Savings Time, the Circadian Rhythm, and You
Why do we even do DST in the first place? Honestly, it’s from a time when energy consumption from lights was a larger drain on the economy than it is today. It was first implemented during the end of WWI, came back during WWII, and then was brought back in the 60’s and never went away. These were originally all conservation efforts due to war time rationing. Currently, we do it mostly out of habit.
The circadian rhythm is an innate clock within every animal. We all have sleep and wake cycles that are controlled by this little part of our brain. Not only does it control that, but we even have cycles for hunger, pain tolerance, strength, and blood sugar. Among many others!
The circadian rhythm controls an awful lot in our bodies and is often triggered by light. Light in the morning triggers most people to be awake and get going while fading light and darkness at night trigger our brains to start slowing down and get ready for bed.
The problem with DST is that it interferes with our natural circadian rhythms. This is why we often have such a difficult time adjusting to these changes. Our bodies have a natural cycle they want to follow and a biological clock that determines these. But then we have a social clock that is inconsistent with these messages and also changes twice a year.
Why DST Feels Bad
The argument for keeping DST in the fall is that it gives us more evening light to enjoy things. The problem with this is that is fundamentally messes with our circadian rhythm! We need the light in the morning to let us know that it’s time to be awake and get things done. By making it so that we start our days in the dark, it can be hard to really get going in the morning for most people.
To make it worse, by having it stay light out later in the day, we don’t get the normal signals we need to go to bed. It tricks us into wanting to stay up later. This makes it hard to get into that new routine.
It’s not surprising that we see an uptick in traffic accidents at night during the beginning of DST in the fall! And in the morning for the spring, we also see an uptick in traffic accidents. Not only this, but doctors have even found that the incidence of heart attacks and strokes go up in the days following the DST switch.
All of this can be attributed to the stress that these changes put on our biological clocks and, subsequently, our bodies. The way it impacts our sleep isn’t healthy. But unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do while it’s still law.
What Can We Do About It?
Keeping to your routine as much as possible is important. Stick with your regular sleeping schedule, even though it may be tempting to stay up later or sleep in later. Buying a lightbox can also help if you’re really feeling the lack of vitamin D and light that we would normally be getting from outside.
Self-care can be really important, especially self-care around sleep. Make sure you’re getting the rest you need, especially in the first week or two of the time change. This can make all the difference in the transition!
If you find you’re prone to winter blues or depression with a seasonal pattern, now is the time to be proactive about it. For those with depression, reach out to your care team about considering medication changes or additions to stay ahead. If it’s winter blue, check out our blog post that discusses both of these!
And of course, if you find yourself struggling, reaching out to a therapist can always be helpful.
Resources:
https://www.health.com/mind-body/dst-mental-health
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/7-things-to-know-about-daylight-saving-time
https://utswmed.org/medblog/daylight-saving-time-sleep-health
