Summary: Researchers from Flinders University conducted a comprehensive study on the long-term effects of daylight saving time (DST) on sleep. By analyzing sleep patterns from questionnaires taken mid- and late-stage in the DST period, they found no significant evidence that DST negatively impacts sleep duration or daytime functioning. While the initial transition to DST may cause short-term disturbances, these effects tend to subside within a few months.
Key Takeaways:
- No Lasting Sleep Impact: The study found no long-term negative effects of daylight saving time on sleep duration, sleep quality, or daytime functioning.
- Short-Term Transition Effects: Any disturbances caused by the shift to DST are temporary and typically subside within one to three months, according to the study.
- Bedtime and Wake Time Differences: People in regions observing DST tend to go to bed and wake up later compared to those who remain on standard time, but this did not significantly affect overall sleep health.
Flinders University researchers have carried out an investigation into the suggestion that daylight saving time (DST) is damaging to our health.
Sleep expert emeritus professor Leon Lack, PhD, and his research associate Reece Kemp from FHMRI Sleep Health explored the late-stage effects of DST on numerous markers of sleep timing and found no significant evidence that DST showed a long-term loss in sleep or impaired sleep health and daytime functioning.
“We wanted to address gaps in current knowledge about daylight saving by exploring whether the sleep effects observed during the initial transition to the new time persisted over time or whether they were a temporary issue,” says Lack in a release.
Diving into the Effects of DST
The study used data from two nationwide questionnaires conducted by the team at Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute’s Sleep Health taking information timed around the middle and end of the DST period to determine the ongoing connection between DST and sleep.
The study compared the sleep patterns of people in states that observe DST against those in regions that do not. In doing so, they were able to contextualize any effects of DST to those who observe no time change at all.
“We found that those who live in states that observe DST tended to go to bed and wake up later compared to those in regions that stay on standard time,” says Lack in a release. “Importantly, the study found no significant evidence that DST was associated with a loss in overall sleep duration or a negative impact on sleep, sleep health, or daytime functioning during the latter part of the DST period,” adds Professor Lack.
DST’s Impact on Well-Being
Kemp adds in a release, “Our research suggests that even if the initial transition into DST may present challenges, any negative effects appear to subside within one to three months at the most. As the viability and impacts of daylight saving become increasingly more topical, this research adds valuable context into the effect of DST and invites further inquiry into revealing the exact cost of this summer tradition on public health.”
In Australia, daylight saving time starts this weekend in most states and territories (barring Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory), meaning the clocks turn forward and an hour is lost on Sunday morning.
“As the clock ticks forward in October, coupled with seemingly polarized opinions on the merits of DST, Australians must weigh up the value of tradition against the growing debate over DST’s impact on well-being,” Kemp says in a release. “Despite our findings, we understand that some people may indeed feel impacted by the transition onto DST. For those who struggle with the change onto daylight saving, the best and simplest way to avoid any disruptive effects on the weekend of the transition is to maintain the same sleep/wake schedule that you would for your workweek. In other words, on the Friday and Saturday, try to avoid staying up too late and/or sleeping in too late.”
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