Does Daylight Saving Time Really Affect Our Sleep Long-Term? Here’s What Experts Want You to Know

When the clocks “spring ahead” or “fall back” tired Americans let out a collective groan — everyone knows they’ll be exhausted simply from the change in routine. But, researchers in Australia are challenging the belief that Daylight Savings Time (DST) has a long-term effect on our health.

Scientists at Flinders University determined through an extended, comprehensive study, that our health isn’t really at risk long term after all. (1) Sleep expert Emeritus Professor Leon Lack and his research associate Mr. Reece Kemp from FHMRI Sleep Health explored the late-stage effects of DST on numerous markers of sleep timing, a release reported, and found “no significant evidence that DST showed a long-term loss in sleep, or impaired sleep health and daytime functioning.”

Lack shared in the release that they used research from two nationwide questionnaires using information from around the middle and end of the DST period to analyze how it affected sleep. They compared those sleep patterns in places that observe DST to those that don’t. “We found that those who live in states that observe DST tend to go to bed and wake up later compared to those in regions that stay on standard time,” Lack shared. Any negative sleep issues happening right around DST were resolved in one to three months, so researchers could conclude there weren’t long-term effects.

This challenges other research suggesting DST is harmful to our sleep health, and, therefore overall health. (2) The researchers acknowledge that just because they didn’t find long term effects doesn’t mean DST is easy for people. Everyone seems to agree that DST has some immediate and short-term effects that feel a whole lot like minor jet lag, causing numerous locations to question if it should remain the norm.

Researchers know that misaligned circadian rhythms — our internal clocks dictating sleep and wake times — can wreak havoc on our health. “Short-term consequences of circadian misalignment include decreased sleep efficiency, daytime sleepiness, and impaired cognitive performance. (3) Over the long term, as in the case of shift workers, circadian misalignment can lead to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer,” Sleepopolis reports in previous DST coverage.

To combat this jet lag type exhaustion around DST, the researchers in the study shared that people should maintain a weekday like schedule on the weekend of DST. For example, on Friday and Saturday of DST, go to bed and wake up at the same time you would for work on a typical morning.

How to Prepare for Daylight Saving Time

You can try the following tips to ensure you are offsetting the DST effects as much as possible:

Aim for a lighter week, clearing your calendar of extra obligations to get a bit more rest in the days following DST.
Get exercise and sunlight, such as a 30-minute walk, to get a bit more energy and sleep better.
Practice excellent sleep hygiene, turning off devices a few hours before bed and engaging in calming activities.

If you feel your DST related fatigue is lasting longer than normal, talk to your doctor. Some research suggests that there can be longer lasting impacts, from mental health issues and cluster headaches to metabolic issues or weight gain. Either way, set your clocks to fall back so you don’t miss that Monday morning meeting when you are already exhausted — or just let your smartphone do the leg work.

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Sources

1. News Desk, “Daylight saving: a small change or a big impact?” Flinders University; https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2024/10/01/daylight-saving-a-small-change-or-a-big-impact/; October 1, 2024.

2. Northwestern Medicine, “Daylight Saving Time and Your Health,” HealthBeat; https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/daylight-savings-time-your-health; February 2021.

3. Chellappa, S.L., Morris, C.J. & Scheer, F.A.J.L. Effects of circadian misalignment on cognition in chronic shift workers. Sci Rep 9, 699 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36762-w

Alexandra Frost

Alexandra Frost is a Cincinnati-based freelance journalist, content marketing writer, copywriter, and editor focusing on health and wellness, parenting, real estate, business, education, and lifestyle. Away from the keyboard, Alex is also mom to her four sons under age 7, who keep things chaotic, fun, and interesting. For over a decade she has been helping publications and companies connect with readers and bring high-quality information and research to them in a relatable voice. She has been published in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Glamour, Shape, Today's Parent, Reader's Digest, Parents, Women's Health, and Insider.