This Sunday, at 2 a.m., most of the United States will revert back to standard time, granting many an extra hour of sleep. However, health experts advise that balancing this change with morning sunlight exposure can significantly aid in adjusting your body's internal clock.
The twice-a-year ritual of switching between standard and daylight saving time often leads to dissatisfaction, especially with the spring transition, which results in a loss of sleep that many feel they never fully regain. This time of year is associated with shorter days, causing many to lament the loss of daylight after work or school, impacting opportunities for outdoor activities.
Several health organizations, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, advocate for the elimination of time changes altogether, promoting the idea that standard time should be maintained year-round. A recent Stanford University study supports this stance, revealing that the oscillation between time changes is detrimental to health. Maintaining standard time, which is more in sync with the natural light-dark cycle and our circadian rhythms, is preferable for overall well-being.
According to Jamie Zeitzer, co-director of Stanford’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences, perceiving our internal biological clock as an orchestra conductor can aid in understanding its complexity. Each organ system acts like an instrument, and disruptions can lead to dissonance, impacting various bodily functions such as metabolism, immune response, and sleep.
With most countries not observing daylight saving time, the shift can be a critical adjustment in places that do. In the U.S., regions like Arizona and Hawaii opt to remain on standard time year-round.
The body responds dynamically to light exposure, with the master clock regulated by the patterns of daylight. Morning light is vital for resetting the circadian rhythm, while excess evening light, whether from natural sources or screens, can delay the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
As the clock changes, adjusting sleep schedules gradually in the days leading up to the transition—by shifting bedtime by even 15 minutes—can facilitate an easier adjustment. Furthermore, getting outside for morning sunlight can act as a natural cue to aid in resetting our clocks for better sleep health.
Efforts to make daylight saving time permanent have stalled in Congress despite initiatives like the Sunshine Protection Act, illustrating ongoing debates about how best to structure our relationship with time and its biological implications.
