LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A lot of people dread what's coming this Sunday: daylight saving time. It means losing an hour of sleep, which could be detrimental to your health, but there are adjustments you can make.
Losing a hour of sleep may not seem like a big deal, but Dr. Kevin Trice, a sleep expert with Norton Healthcare in Louisville, said it can be a big deal, that can have "profound impacts on our health."
Sunday morning, clocks will skip from 1:59 a.m. straight to 3 a.m. Trice said it can negatively impact some people.
"Emotionally, people can have issues with depression or anxiety with it," he said.
While we will see delayed sunlight in the morning, we will have a later sunset. That pushes sleep schedules back and throws children off their routines.
"For kids I always say 'Hey, listen, the time is changing,'" Trice said. "'The clocks are going to change. You guys may be a little drowsy for a day or two, but it's great that it's on a weekend.'"
Dr. Kenneth "Chuck" Anderson, a sleep specialist with Baptist Health, recommends changing routines gradually.
"Friday or Saturday night, try to get to bed a little bit earlier," Anderson said.
Children aren't alone in struggling with the change. This weekend’s daylight saving time can impact adult health as well. That's why Anderson said it's a good idea to "try to avoid extra caffeine Saturday night."
He said the effects of daylight saving time can also linger, which can lead to an increase in drowsy drivers.
"Studies have shown that there's more car accidents for several days after change as well," he said.
The effect of daylight saving time on overall health can be serious.
"There's an increase in heart attacks the Monday following daylight saving time," said Trice.
Strokes, abnormal heart rhythms, mood disruptions, and even suicides have also been linked to the negative effects of daylight saving time.
Anderson advises people to take the change seriously, and listen to your body.
"If you could take a nap Sunday morning, that would be beneficial," he said.
Of course, everyone's body is different.
"Some people will take 24 hours to recover," Trice said. "Other people may take up to 72 hours to get back on that circadian rhythm."
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