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Falling back in time: The mental health effects of daylight saving time

Daylight savings ends Nov. 3

Daylight saving time ends this weekend. (Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels.)

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s that time of year again. When the clock strikes 2 a.m., it actually strikes 1 a.m.

After clocks were set forward an hour on Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. to begin daylight saving time, they are now turning back an hour on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 a.m.

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While the switching of the clock may earn you an extra hour of sleep, Harvard Medical School and John Hopkins studies have found that daylight saving time can actually have some costly mental health effects.

A survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine showed that 55% of Americans feel an extra sense of grogginess following the time change.

The shift in sleep schedules and tiredness can destabilize mood which studies show may be linked to the increase in male suicide rates in the weeks following the start of daylight saving compared to the return to standard time.

According to Harvard, daylight saving time can interfere with our regular exposure to light. Research shows that darker mornings decrease the body’s production of serotonin which is a mood-boosting hormone.

Beyond the mental toll the lack of sleep can have, John Hopkins reports an uptick in heart attacks and strokes linked to the shift in time.

On the bright side (or the dark), this weekend marks the end of daylight saving meaning lighter mornings and darker nights.

Harvard’s website says the earlier sunset can help the body get back to producing the sleep hormone melatonin at a normal time, making it easier to fall asleep at night.

To make the transition smoother, Harvard recommends adjusting your bedtime by 15 minutes in the days before daylight saving, taking afternoon naps, getting more exposure to light, and cutting back on caffeinated beverages.

With the mental and physical health effects of the time change in mind, the debate over whether daylight saving should stick around is still up in the air.

Studies show that 63% of Americans would rather get rid of the time change altogether.

For years, Florida Senator Marco Rubio has pushed to “lock the clock,” making daylight saving time a permanent fixture throughout the year.

On Monday, Rubio issued a statement calling the practice “ridiculous” and “antiquated.”

For now, the clock is still set to turn back so enjoy the extra hour of sleep and adjust to darker evenings, until the next spring forward.


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