Daylight saving time starts soon in Idaho. Here’s how it could affect your health

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Idahoans will soon set their clocks forward, adding light to their evenings while losing an hour of morning sunshine and sleep.

Daylight saving time is associated with increased health risks.

“That one-hour time may not seem like much, but it can wreak havoc on people’s mental and physical well-being in the short term,” Dr. Charles Czeisler, professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine, said in 2023.

How could the start of daylight saving time affect your health? And what are the best ways to survive the time change?

Here’s what the experts say:

When does daylight saving time start in 2026?

Clocks in Idaho and most of the country will skip ahead an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8.

People will lose an hour of sleep tonight, but sunset will happen one hour later once the time shift takes place.

“There will be more light in the evening and less light in the morning,” online clock Time and Date said.

What happens to our bodies when we ‘spring forward’?

Circadian rhythm is “the body’s natural 24-hour cycles regulating key functions like appetite, mood and sleep,” according to Harvard Medical School.

The circadian rhythm is directly linked to natural light consumption, a study by Stanford Medicine researchers found.

Adjusting clocks and watches for daylight saving time forces the body out of its natural cycles and disrupts essential functions such as sleep and hormone release.

“The more light exposure you get at the wrong times, the weaker the circadian clock,” said Jamie Zeitzer, Stanford University professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. “All of these things that are downstream — for example, your immune system, your energy — don’t match up quite as well.”

Which health risks are tied to daylight saving time?

The one-hour time change associated with daylight saving time “may not seem like much, but it can wreak havoc on people’s mental and physical well-being in the short term,” Dr. Charles Czeisler, Harvard University professor of sleep medicine, told Harvard Medical School in 2023.

For instance, people may have trouble adjusting their sleep schedules to the new time — going to bed later or waking up earlier than usual.

“Disrupted sleep can cause people to feel fatigued, groggy and less focused,” Czeisler said.

Drowsiness and sleep deprivation are just the start.

As people fall out of their normal hormonal cycles, their bodies function under increased stress, which reflects in their physical health and mood, according to the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Researchers have noticed a “marked increase in heart attacks and strokes“ in the days following the switch to daylight saving time each year, the American Heart Association said in a March 2024 article.

The reason is “likely connected with the disruption to the body’s internal clock, or its circadian rhythm,” Dr. Maria Delgado-Lelievre, a distinguished hypertension specialist at the University of Miami, told the American Heart Association volunteer expert.

Stanford researchers found that switching to permanent standard time would lower national obesity and stoke rates, resulting in 2.6 million fewer people with obesity and 300,000 fewer cases of stroke.

What are best ways to prepare for time change?

“Developing a plan to cope with the time change can reduce its impact on your sleep and overall wellness,” SleepFoundation.org contributor Eric Suni wrote in October.

According to the American Heart Association, getting outside and getting as much natural light as possible can help your body adjust to daylight saving time.

The association also recommends winding down a little earlier than usual and avoiding increased caffeine use.

Other tips from experts include:

• Go to bed earlier before the time change
• Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep
• Keep a dark sleeping environment
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine in the days surrounding the switch
• Avoid technology before bedtime
• Take afternoon naps for 20 to 30 minutes
• Get 15 minutes of morning light every day for a week after the switch
• Delay your daily routine following the change

“Fortunately, most people can acclimate to the time change within a week or so,” the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said.