Our bodies aren't meant to change times easily, British scientists warn
Every year about this time, sleep experts come forward to recommend that we stop turning out clocks back in the fall and forward in the spring. This year it's agroup of top sleep experts from the British Sleep Societyurging the UK government to stop the twice-yearly clock changes due to their negative impact on sleep and body rhythms.
Based on scientific evidence, they argue that morning daylight helps sleep and body clocks, while changing the clocksespecially moving forward in springdisrupts this. The Society recommends sticking to Standard Time all year round.
Research shows that the shift to Daylight Saving Timecan harm sleep patterns. Professor Malcolm von Schantz from Northumbria Universityemphasized that keeping Standard Time year-round would better align our body clocks with natural daylight, improving sleep and health, even if it means earlier sunsets in the summer.
Dr. Eva Winnebeck added that DST forces us to wake up an hour earlier without changing daylight, making darker mornings especially difficult in the autumn.
Dr. Megan Crawford warns that keeping DST all year round is not ideal for sleep and body clocks. She explained that our body clocks need morning light to stay in sync, and at the UK's latitude, there's no extra daylight to save in the winter. Morning light is more important than afternoon light for health.
The full statement is available in the Journal of Sleep Research, supported by various sleep organizations. Experts at Northumbrias Sleep Research Centre continue to study sleep disorders and their treatment, working in a specialized facility.
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Posted: 2024-10-23 19:54:27
