The concept of daylight saving time was instituted in the U.S. during World War I in order to save energy for war production by taking advantage of the later hours of daylight between April and October. Then, the passage of the Energy Policy Act in 2005 extended daylight saving time by four weeks — from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. 

WHAT ARE THE DRAWBACKS OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME?

Daylight saving can easily throw off your sleep cycle, or your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is your body's natural cycle, which is comprised of the physical, mental, and behavioral changes that exist in a 24-hour period of time. A disruption in this rhythm, like Daylight Saving, even if it’s a mere 60 minutes, can have a significant, negative effect on your body’s biological clock.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults try to get an average of eight hours of sleep per night and that making sleep a priority can have long-term effects on quality of life. The ideal amount of sleep can vary from person to person, so they emphasize that it’s important to understand what your needs are based on individual behavior, like your activity level and overall health.

According to the author Matthew Walker, Ph.D., in his New York Times bestseller “Why We Sleep”, routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night has a direct and adverse effect on your overall health. Destructive results from poor sleep hygiene include:

• Destroys your immune system
• More than doubles your risk of cancer
• Disrupts blood sugar levels
• Causes hormonal imbalance
• Increases the chance of cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke
• May lead to psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality
• Can cause weight gain
• Decreases life span

That’s an incredible amount of damage that can be done to the human body and mind. The earlier you can pinpoint and change bad sleep habits, the greater effect it can have in altering your well-being and life expectancy.

BAD HABITS THAT CAN DISRUPT YOUR SLEEP ROUTINE

The practice of Daylight Saving Time only happens twice each year, but there are plenty of other disruptive activities that can, and do, occur on a daily basis that negatively affect our sleep patterns. Some examples include:

Electronics: The blue light emitted by screens on cell phones, computers, tablets, and televisions restrain the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep/wake cycle.

Jet Lag and Shift Work: Normally, light serves to set our internal clock to the appropriate time. However, problems can occur when our exposure to light changes due to a shift in work schedule or travel across time zones.

Pain, Anxiety, and Other Medical Conditions: A wide range of medical and psychological conditions can have an impact on the structure and distribution of sleep. These conditions include chronic pain from arthritis and other medical conditions, discomfort caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease, pre-menstrual syndrome, and many others.

Noise: Sleeping in a noisy environment can be disruptive and prevent you from getting quality sleep.

Toothpaste and Mouthwash: Avoid toothpaste and mouthwash a few hours before bedtime. Products that contain peppermint and cinnamon can have a stimulating effect and increase your alertness.

Vitamins: If you’re having trouble staying asleep, try taking your vitamins in the morning. Vitamin B12 affects melatonin levels, making sleep more difficult to come by. Also, if vivid dreams are waking you up, vitamin B6 may be the culprit.

Alcohol: Drinking a beverage before bed may help you fall asleep, but it actually disrupts your sleep later on. Drinking alcohol is associated with more frequent awakenings, bathroom visits, night sweats, nightmares, headaches, and is much less restful.

Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant that is found in many drinks and foods like tea, coffee, chocolate, and cola drinks. It takes about 30-70 mins to reach peak levels in your body and its effects can last an average of five hours. It can make it harder to go to sleep, make you sleep more lightly and wake up more often during the night, or cause frequent bathroom visits. 

Clothing Fabric: Some sleepwear and bed linens, such as polyester, are not breathable and can cause you to overheat, become sweaty, and result in sleep disruption.

Smoking: Nicotine is a stimulant that makes it harder to fall asleep and to stay asleep. Cigarettes should be avoided altogether for overall health and wellness.

Lack of Sunlight: Regular exposure to sunlight strengthens your circadian rhythm and makes you more likely to fall asleep easily at night.