As of Nov. 2, parts of the world have experienced another daylight saving time (DST); we have set our clocks to fall back an hour and are now enduring the effects of “adding” another hour. DST has been subject to debate for years. In government, the policy has been repealed, reinstated and changed many times since the early 1900s, according to the US Bureau of Transportation website. In daily life, the time change is just a hassle and annoyance to a majority of people in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The practice negatively impacts health, sleep, productivity and mood. I am firmly against this harmful and unnecessary practice, and it should be done away with for good.
In the past few weeks, I have heard nothing but complaints; most people I talk to are tired of waking up an hour earlier every day, not able to get anything done because of the early sunset, and just feeling generally down and all turned around. All these negative effects are the result twice every year when we change the clocks.
According to sleep expert Adam Spira, PhD, MA, DST has a substantial negative impact on the health of people in places where it is observed. Adverse health results like stroke and heart attack are increased due to the sudden change in sleep patterns caused by the “fall back” or “spring forward” of the hour.
DST causes fewer daylight hours in the evening, and according to Johns Hopkins University website, sunlight is the dominant synchronizer of our circadian rhythms – our bodies “internal alarm clocks.” With the time change, our circadian systems are completely off, which has a myriad of negative results. Also, with the sun setting earlier, there is less time after school or work to do the things we need to, equaling less productivity.
Time change is also a big component of decreasing mental health in the fall and winter months. With more waking hours being darker and the disruption of circadian rhythms, DST results in higher levels of depression and anxiety, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
With almost only negative effects, which impact all people who deal with DST, there is no reason to support the continuation of the time change. But for the moment, there are a few things Harvard Medical School says we can do like taking naps and getting the most daylight you can. People should not have to deal with the nonsense and its effects on their health. DST should be stopped.
