How Daylight Saving Time Affects The Body

There have been several interesting studies on how daylight saving time affects the body. However, no one was really convincing. Obviously, this change has different effects from person to person and can become very bothersome for some.

The topic of daylight saving time has always been the subject of much debate. The measure began in Europe during the First World War. The main reason for this was the argument that it enabled energy savings. Daylight Saving Time starts at the end of March during the summer months and ends on the last Sunday in October for the winter months.

Theoretically, it is the intention that sunlight is optimally used to promote energy savings. However, studies show that the energy saved in the morning is consumed in the afternoon. Likewise, employees become less productive as they adapt. It may not save as much energy as it seems!

Summer time

A number of studies indicate that cultures that do not have electricity have a similar routine to those that do. Experts also believe that our ancestors slept the same way we do today.

This means that we all naturally have similar sleep patterns. This is because all living things, even the simplest, regulate many of their functions in 24-hour cycles. Light and darkness are decisive factors in this.

In 2011, a team of researchers from the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona discovered that cells distinguish between day and night and that this is crucial for their functioning.

This circadian rhythm regulates sleep-wake cycles and all related functions. When these cycles change, it causes an imbalance in the body and can lead to various problems. The human body likes routines because they help the body to work better.

The Effects of Daylight Saving Time on the Body

Summer time causes a kind of ‘jet lag’. Jet lag is the name given to the discomfort that occurs when a person travels to a place with a completely different time zone.

Daylight saving time confuses the body and causes a bit of chaos. The change in the hours of activity and rest causes:

• Fatigue
• drowsiness
• Irritability

Some people suffer from it more than others. These symptoms arise because the immediate effect of this condition is a change in melatonin secretion.

Melatonin is a hormone that is active depending on the sunlight. If there is more light, there is less melatonin. On the other hand, the body produces more of it when there is less light to induce sleep.

This measure causes deregulation of this hormone, which causes the symptoms we have explained. In most cases , however, it takes the body about three days to balance.

Other Effects

Daylight saving time affects the amount and quality of sleep. A study states that this measure causes people to lose about 60 minutes of sleep in the first few days and affects sleep quality by about 10%.

A number of studies have also found that this measure slightly increases the number of myocardial infarctions (heart attacks). Due to the change in the autumn, this figure decreases again. Meanwhile, another study indicates that there is an increase in suicides in the days after daylight saving time.

Studies also show that after the changeover to daylight saving time, the number of work-related and traffic accidents increases. There is statistical evidence that work-related accidents are more serious on the Monday after the measure than at other times.

However, it is important to note that the number of heart attacks, accidents and suicide is only rising slightly. Still, these are interesting facts to keep in mind to encourage you to adapt to this change as healthily as possible.