Scientists issue warning over Daylight Saving Time as clock change can cause health problems
Topics: Mental Health, Health, Science
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: Mental Health, Health, Science
Experts have issued a warning regarding Daylight Saving Time as the clocks went back across the US on Sunday (November 2).
Daylight Saving Time happens between the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November every year - resulting in clock changes across the country.
In March, at 2:00am local standard time, clocks are moved forward to 3:00am local Daylight Saving Time.
Clocks are then set back an hour on the first Sunday in November each year, moving back from 2:00am local Daylight Saving Time to 1:00am local standard time.
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As a result, Americans had an extra hour in bed on Sunday, which was certainly welcomed by many after a busy week.
However, several studies have found a direct link between mental and physical health issues starting after Americans move their clocks back.
A 2013 study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews found people lose an average of 40 minutes per sleep when the clocks go back, which shouldn't cause much disruption.
And one scientist has suggested that Daylight Saving Time may be linked to increased road accidents and even heart attacks.
As a result, biologist Dr John O'Neill has called for the clock changes to be scrapped.
"It's completely ridiculous that we're still living with this anachronism," he said.
In the immediate aftermath of the clocks going back, many will notice the days feel a lot shorter, and the nights are a lot longer.
And with sunset occurring a lot earlier in the day, scientists say it can suppress serotonin production, which in turn can lead to more cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD flares up existing negative feelings you might have, making them more severe during the darker, colder months. It can also make them appear prominently for the first time.
The idea of daylight savings was first put forward by New Zealand scientist George Hudson in 1895. However, it wasn't until near the end of World War One that it was put into action.
The Library of Congress details that President Woodrow Wilson signed the Standard Time Act into law in 1918 in a bid to save energy costs by having an extra hour of light in the afternoon and decreasing the need to use electricity.
In 1966, it was enacted as a legal requirement by the Uniform Time Act.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.