There is more darkness in the morning and more light in the evening, which disturbs the clock [intene]says dr Lorrie Kirshenbaum of the Cardiovascular Sciences Institute at St. Boniface Hospital in Manitoba.
The effects of the time change are particularly evident in mild depression and blood pressure fluctuations. Even an hour’s change affects physiology and our bodies, he said in a statement Thursday.
dr Lorrie Kirshenbaum and Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin investigate the connection between the circadian rhythm, the body’s biological clock and cardiovascular health. Their research showed that the circadian clock regulates a key adaptive response to stress that could affect quality control mechanisms in the heart.
Maintaining a healthy circadian clock is therefore important not only to prevent disease, but also to avoid heart attacks, says Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin.
The two doctors advocate the abolition of the time change, which is imposed on most Canadians twice a year.
According to them, making the switch to winter time permanent would help avoid the increased risks of diabetes, heart disease and depression that their work associates with daylight savings time.
A public health problem
For Professor Roger Godbout, director of the Pediatric Sleep Laboratory at Rivière-des-Prairies Mental Health Hospital in Montreal, daylight savings time is a real public health concern. He has already called for a public debate on the issue.
I don’t think there are health reasons for changing the clocks twice a year. It’s something pretty absurd. Countries that have stopped changing clocks are all the better for it, said Mr Godbout, who is also a full professor at the University of Montreal’s Department of Psychiatry, in an interview with D’abord l’info.
Some people find the transition harder than others. This applies to workers with atypical working hours who are more vulnerable to the negative effects of the time change.
Daylight saving time can prevent these workers from adjusting their body clocks to match their work schedules, leading to lack of sleep, fatigue and decreased cognitive function, said Drs. Lorrie Kirshenbaum and Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin.
Children, people living in dormitories and anyone with an established routine are also more affected, notes Mr Godbout.
But the majority of people will feel some of the effects of the time change, and many will have a hard time falling asleep the following night. Some take a few days to adjust and feel a bit moody.
It affects mood, which is regulated by photosensitive hormones, the professor explains. People who are sensitive to it, who have the spring blues, will feel it even more.
To adapt better
However, there are ways to ease the transition to daylight saving time.
Ideally, we suggest going to bed a little earlier each night the week before the clock change.
On Saturday nights, try to go to bed early and have a light dinner, advised Azadeh Yadollahi, a scientist affiliated with the University Health Network’s KITE Research Institute, in an interview with CBC.
According to Ms. Yadollahi, it’s important to get outside on Sunday mornings after the time change.
A walk or an activity that exposes you to sunlight will help you adjust, she said.
Slight changes can also be made in the bedroom to regulate exposure to light, Jennifer Bond, a respiratory therapist from Saint John, New Brunswick, explained in an interview with CBC.
We can force the body to adapt to the light by closing the curtains and darkening the place so we can fall asleep earlier. You can also open the curtains earlier in the morning to allow the light to help your body wake up, Ms Bond explained.
You can also take melatonin. It can help change the sleep cycle when used at the right time and in the right dose, says Dr. Elliott Lee, sleep specialist at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Center in Ontario.
The best time to take melatonin depends on your circadian rhythm, but Dr. Lee suggests taking a 1-3mg tablet between 7pm and 9pm.
Everyone needs to do their testing with their circadian rhythm. But taken on occasion [la mélatonine] can help with speed adjustment, says Dr. Lee.
good habits
Sleep expert Diana McMillan says daylight saving time is better for the human body, but the switch to daylight saving time can be a good opportunity to reevaluate your sleep habits.
We get a lot out of our sleep, and it’s important to see how we can support better sleep not just during the summertime but in everyday life, she says.
McMillan says that maintaining a bedtime routine and minimizing caffeine and alcohol consumption leads to better sleep.
Going away from screens an hour or two before bedtime and reducing the intensity of your pre-bedtime activities are also tips experts recommend for promoting sleep.
Incorporating exercise into your daily routine also leads to better sleep hygiene.
A legal project
Across North America, elected officials are considering the possibility of ending time changes. A new law was introduced in the United States to stop this seasonal practice.
Last week, Florida Senator Marco Rubio reinstated the Sunshine Protection Act, which would allow states to implement daylight saving time permanently.
If passed, the law will have ramifications across Canada. Provinces like British Columbia and Ontario are waiting for US states to adopt daylight saving time before doing the same.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said the province wanted to stay in sync with the US west coast states and was keen to ditch daylight saving time.
In Quebec, Premier François Legault has already said he is willing to review the issue of reversing the time change twice a year.
The changeover to Eastern Daylight Time occurs on the second weekend in March, then reverts back one hour to standard time on the first Sunday in November.
Daylight saving time was introduced to increase productivity during World War I.
With information from The Canadian Press and CBC