Creve Coeur Doctor: Daylight Saving Comes This Weekend, Now Is The Time To Prepare

It's that time of year again. Saturday night, we turn the clocks forward and lose an hour of sleep. It means more daylight later in the day, but there are some health risks which come as a downside. We asked Dr. Oscar Schwartz, MD, Sleep Disorder Specialist and Medical Director of the Sleep Disorder/EEG Center about those risks, and what we can actually do to prepare for the time switch.

Q.   Can people actually prepare themselves for daylight saving? What are some simple things we can do?

A:  Understand where you are in your sleep pattern. There is a trend in our country to sleep less than our recommended amount. A recent study shows that a third of the population is sleeping less than seven hours. The additional loss of one hour of sleep time will accrue in addition to their current sleep debt. Start by planning a few days, if not at least week, in advance. Move the bedtime gradually to earlier time and attempt seven to eight hours of sleep time as a goal. Exposure to bright light in the early morning hours will help with this change. This may be very helpful for the transition into a new time period. If you use melatonin, take it earlier in the evening. Melatonin by itself without adequate sunlight exposure may have a limited effect.  

Q. Is any one age group more profoundly affected by daylight saving?  

A: All age groups are affected by the change in the time. Daylight saving may compound an already significant sleep debt in the adolescent or school-age group.  Without compensation for the loss of one hour, people may use their prior sleep cycle to tell then of the need to go to bed. Their biorhythm will be an hour at least too late. This will perpetuate their sleep loss over many days rather than rapidly correcting to the new time. Others have shown a decrease in sleep quality with biorhythm disturbances with daylight saving. This will have a similar effect on shift workers as well. Try not to move a pre-existing sleep debt into a new time zone. 

Q. Are there health risks associated with daylight saving, including increased heart attacks?  

A: Daylight saving has been shown to have adverse health effects. An Australian 2008 study showed a significant increase in the male suicide rates in the weeks following daylight savings. A Swedish study published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated a fivefold increase in heart attacks following daylight saving. Disruption in biorhythms and accumulated sleep debt may be in some way responsible. Sleep and the risk of cardiovascular disease have been shown to be linked in many other sleep disorders. Inadequate sleep time and the presence of other sleep disorders have been linked to mood changes, memory problems, hypertension, diabetic control, and heart disease. Sleep is no different than any other risk factor for good health.  

Q. How does daylight saving impact you, personally?

A. In my household, we develop a plan for advancing the family's bedtime in the days preceding day light saving. My goal is to meet it halfway at least. In the days prior to time change, a good evaluation of my sleep cycle and any sleep debt from the week will need to be adjusted for by a little earlier sleep time and perhaps longer sleep time. I avoid alcohol prior to bedtime as this may decrease sleep quality and increase awakenings during the night. In the days following day light savings, caffeine in the morning helps with the time adjustment. I exercise in the morning/early afternoon and get at least 20 to 30 minutes of good light exposure in the morning to help with the transition to the new time zone.