What daylight saving time does to your brain and what you can do to help it

“It’s just one hour of sleep.”

Research has found when we lose an hour of sleep each year due to daylight saving time (DST) there is an increase in heart attacks and car accidents.

When we gain an hour of sleep by falling back an hour heart attacks and car accidents decrease.

Not to be dramatic but “just one hour” could be a matter of life or death. The brain and body are extremely sensitive to small changes in sleep.

Daylight savings time is at odds with our biology

Your brain, specifically the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), regulates your body clock and helps you know when to be awake and when to go to sleep. This internal clock takes its cues from the sun and likes to maintain consistent 24 hours cycles (aka your circadian rhythm). The manmade construct of daylight savings time goes against our biology and disrupts the cycle. This is why it's so hard to wake up after springing forward!

How to help your brain

Start your day by getting 15 min of early morning sunlight. This is a great practice for your brain everyday (boosts alertness, mood, and helps you sleep better) but it’s especially helpful during DST.

Morning sunlight signals to your SCN that it’s time to be awake and will help you wake up slightly earlier the next day so you can gradually adjust to the time change. The same tip can help alleviate jet leg when traveling to a different time zone going west.

Pro tip: Direct sunlight is best. Try to go outside rather than getting sun through a window or windshield. No sunglasses. And of course never look directly into the sun! Bonus points if you add movement like walking or riding a bike.

I grew up in a state that doesn’t do DST (shoutout to Arizona!) so this whole thing really threw me off when I moved to Texas. I wish I could say I’m getting used to it, but I’m not and based on neuroscience I don’t think I ever will. My circadian rhythm is a sucker for consistency.

Is sunlight already part of your morning routine? Comment below, I want to know!

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Be well,

Julie