Springing Forward with Side Effects: How Daylight Saving Time Messes with Your Body

When we turn our clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time, we gain sunlight in our evenings—but we may also be losing more than an hour of sleep. A new article from The Economist dives deep into the biological side effects of this annual ritual and uncovers some unsettling truths. Shifting the clock interferes with the body’s internal circadian rhythms—your natural sleep-wake cycle—and the fallout isn’t limited to feeling tired for a day or two. Researchers say it may linger for weeks or even months, impacting everything from sleep quality to appetite regulation. “Your body doesn’t read clocks,” one scientist puts it plainly. It reads light—and DST confuses the system. This artificial time shift can throw off hormone production, increase the risk of heart attacks, and even encourage unhealthy eating patterns. Sounds like that extra hour of sunlight might come at a higher cost than we thought.

Key Points:

• DST disrupts circadian rhythms, which regulate sleep cycles, hormone release, and metabolism. This misalignment can last several weeks.
• Sleep deprivation spikes right after the transition—studies show a marked increase in car accidents and even heart attacks in the days following the spring forward.
• Appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin are affected, leading to higher calorie consumption and poor food choices, particularly in the evenings.
• The article cites research showing longer-term health effects including increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease due to repeated circadian disruption.
• According to the article, “Your body doesn’t read clocks; it reads environmental cues like daylight.” This explains why even a simple one-hour change can throw off your rhythm.
• The evidence is so compelling that some experts advocate for scrapping DST entirely and sticking to standard time year-round.

Bonus tip:
If you’re struggling with the DST adjustment, sleep experts recommend avoiding caffeine after noon, using blackout curtains at night, and exposing yourself to bright light in the morning to help reset your internal clock. Apps like Rise and Sleep Cycle can also help track and optimize your sleep through the transition.
Link to Article