In our experience at Green Medicine - Yes. The daylight savings time change dose seem to impact our patient population, and in not such a positive way.
A quarter of the world's population is subjected to a 1 hour time change twice a year (daylight saving time, DST). This reflects a change in social clocks, not environmental ones (e.g., dawn).
When I worked night shift, it never failed that I worked the “fall back” weekend and therefore an extra hour. “Spring ahead” is just as rough. I really don’t like the sudden loss of an hour of sleep.
There is evidence that our body’s circadian clocks adjust seasonally all by itself! For each hour later that the sun rises there is an almost 5% increase in median cortisol.
Cortisol levels change with the season with the lowest cortisol levels noted in summer coinciding with the earliest sunrise time. One study concluded that our body’s biological clock rhythm is resistant to the arbitrary changes in clock time with daylight saving. Hence, not feeling so great with this shift.
If anyone follows me on Instagram, you will have seen my many posts to document my seeking of the sunrise, or at minimum natural light exposure first thing in the morning. Seeing the sunrise or at least bright light in the morning, has many health benefits. One of the key impacts of light exposure is its effect on the human circadian clock, which influences the body’s sleep-wake cycles.
Exposure to daily light and dark patterns is one of the main environmental cues that maintain circadian rhythms as it signals the brain when to secrete hormones such as cortisol and serotonin, which prepare the body for the day’s activities, and when to produce hormones such as melatonin, which trigger sleep onset.
This diurnal cycle controlled by light and darkness regulates many of our vital bodily functions including our body temperature, hormone secretion, and blood pressure. This cycle is regulated by our exposure to natural light throughout the day.
So what are the benefits of bright light exposure first thing in the morning?
Research shows daylight exposure is linked to circadian rhythm regulation, which can have significant impacts on sleep quality and cognitive function.
Morning bright light has a well-established antidepressant effect for those suffering from seasonal affective disorder as well as nonseasonal depression.
Daylight exposure is linked to circadian rhythm regulation, which can have significant impacts on sleep quality and cognitive function. Views of nature have also been shown to impact emotional affect and performance.
So. Long story short - grant your self some grace if you feel a bit of an increase in symptoms, and do your body a favor and go see the sunrise to ease the transition!
