Episode 13

Daylight Savings

Every 6 months, over 70 countries around the world undergo a ridiculous natural experiment, the results of which are consistently clear.

In this episode I discuss the absurd notion of “daylight savings” and the high cost (not savings) to your sleep and your health.

Daylight savings time clock shifts make the ordinary more complicated than it needs to be, increasing the risk for errors - from timekeeping (think of your microwave or oven clock), to travel, billing, record keeping, medical devices and of course, sleep health.

Motor vehicle accidents, medical errors and adverse medical events - all higher at the shift to daylight savings time. Heart attacks, strokes, and emergency room visits also jump up, as much as 24% at the switch to daylight savings time. 

Daylight savings forces a sudden 23 hour day, and since it's done overnight, robs you of a full hour of sleep. Furthermore, the sudden change in clock time causes a forced desynchrony between your internal clock and the now-altered external clocks. And with longer darkness upon waking in the morning combined with extra light exposure closer to bed, daylight savings time makes it harder to fall asleep, harder to wake up, and harder to function during the day. In what way does this artificial time shift aid in human wellbeing?