How Daylight Saving Time Affects Well-Being and Health

"A 2024 study in BMJ Medicine examined the transition to daylight savings time and associated risks of all-cause and specific mortality in the U.S. Between the start of 2015 and the end of 2019, 13,912,837 deaths were recorded and analyzed for cause, including Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorders, and cancer."

"The time change was found to be influential for patterns of mortality; in particular, a protective effect of the autumn time change was noted with a significant decrease in all causes of death during the first eight weeks following the transition."

"For many, this annual transition is rote and routine, but most people find the single-hour advance exhausting. Many note that the acclimation period needed lingers for days before fully adjusting. At least 54 percent of the public supports ending daylight saving time, and over half experience tiredness following the spring clock change."

Daylight saving time, established by the Standard Time Act of 1918, remains a contentious practice affecting public health. Over half the population experiences tiredness following the spring clock change, with at least 54 percent supporting its elimination. A 2024 BMJ Medicine study analyzing 13.9 million deaths between 2015 and 2019 found that autumn time transitions provided protective effects, significantly decreasing all-cause mortality during the first eight weeks. Spring transitions correlate with increased car accidents in subsequent weeks. Maintaining good sleep habits can help mitigate adjustment difficulties during time changes.

Read at Psychology Today