It seems a long way off, but March 27th the clock will go back an hour. Daylight Savings Time is an annual phenomenon. The impact of summer time on our body can be big, so adjusting to daylight savings time is important!
The circadian rhythm largely regulates itself with light, so it is likely that changing the clock will trigger a certain reaction in our body.
The origins of DST
It is important to determine what time is “the real” time, which is winter time. We owe DST to an initiative to save energy. William Willet invented daylight saving time in 1907, but it was not first introduced until 1917, during the First World War. After a long shutdown, it was put into service again, this time in 1977 with the aim of saving energy during a major oil crisis. The idea was, that by setting the clock one hour forward, daylight could be used longer. However, opinions about saving energy are very divided and more and more statements are being made to permanently abolish summer time.The effect of daylight saving time on the body
The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour mechanism in the human body. This mechanism is responsible for different body processes and releases different hormones throughout the day. Long-term disruptions to this mechanism include an increased risk of cancer and depression. Although it seems like a minor adjustment, in many cases people’s sleep-wake patterns are disrupted for up to eight weeks after the clock has been set. This can lead to a number of serious health consequences. For example, there is a sharply increased risk of heart attacks in the weeks after the clock has been set.Prepare for DST
It sounds very serious, but this preparation is not that bad while the benefits are great! The tips below will ensure that there is very little or no trouble with changing the clock.- Limit caffeine intake to an absolute minimum
- Go to bed 15 minutes earlier every day for a week while also getting up 15 minutes earlier
- Limit your exposure to blue light (screens, lamps, television) one hour before going to bed. This limitation can also be realized with glasses with orange lenses.
- Expose yourself to blue light while getting up, which can be natural daylight or with the help of a portable form of light therapy.
