Texans can expect to lose an hour of sleep Sunday night as spring and daylight saving time approach.
Daylight saving time will begin at 2 a.m. March 12, according to Time and Date. This change will result in subsequent sunsets and sunrises being an hour later, with more daylight in the evening.
The Mayo Clinic says that this shift in hours can result in sleepiness and sleep deprivation in many that can persist for weeks or even months.
A press release by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) from 2020 detailed the results of a survey the organization conducted. The survey found that 55% of Americans reported feeling tired following the change in time.
A 2020 study showed that car accident fatality rates increase by 6% after the onset of daylight saving time.
“Studies consistently show that the spring transition to daylight saving time is associated with negative consequences for health, safety, and productivity, all of which may be related to sleep disruption caused by the time change,” said Dr. Kelly Carden, president of AASM, in the press release.
Not surprisingly, the AASM is in favor of eliminating daylight saving time entirely due to the detrimental effects it has on mental and physical health, according to a 2020 position statement from the organization.
“DST [daylight saving time] can cause misalignment between the biological clock and environmental clock, resulting in significant health and public safety-related consequences, especially in the days immediately following the annual change to DST,” reads the position statement. “A change to permanent standard time is best aligned with human circadian biology and has the potential to produce beneficial effects for public health and safety,” the statement continues.
Medical experts have devised strategies that can be implemented to mitigate the effects of the upcoming change.
“Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier, starting two to three days before the time change. This will help make sure you are well-rested before the clock change so any resulting ‘sleep debt’ will feel less extreme,” said Candice A. Alfano, director of the University of Houston’s Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston, according to NBC DFW.
“Make sure you get plenty of sunlight on the morning after the change. Light has potent effects on our internal body clock and will help you feel less tired,” said Alfano, according to NBC DFW.
