Summer time, according to some experts, could have negative consequences for people’s physical and mental well-being by misaligning our biological clock
The question ofsummer time and his health effects has become a topic of growing interest, with many experts calling for its abolition. Daylight saving time, which involves moving the hands of the clock forward one hour to make better use of sunlightis adopted in many countries from March to October.
However, doctors at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) argue that this practice can have negative consequences for people’s physical and mental well-being. In fact, doctors warn that time changes can misalign our biological clockincreasing the risks of road accidents and cardiovascular disorders.
One study demonstrated a correlation between daylight saving time and an increase in adverse health events, such as heart attacks and depressive episodes. In particular, the analysis of data on over 185,000 Danes revealed a significant increase in depressive episodes coinciding with the transition from summer time to standard time.
The debate between solar time and summer time is increasingly heated
Furthermore, the time change negatively affects circadian rhythms, which regulate many bodily functions, from alertness to energy levels. Professor Beth A. Malow pointed out that misalignment of biological rhythms can have long-term effects on mental and physical health. Doctors suggest that maintain solar time permanently would be more beneficial, as this option better aligns with the natural cycles of light and dark.
In the United States, the Sunshine Protection Act was passed by the Senate in 2022, proposing to make daylight saving time permanentbut the bill still needs to pass through the House and receive the president’s approval. On the other hand, in Europe, the debate on the abolition of the time Legal has been open since 2018when the European Parliament asked for an evaluation of the relevant directive. However, the pandemic has halted progress on this directive.
The energy saving is one of the main reasons why daylight saving time was implemented, but the reduction of just 0.02% in energy use, as reported in a U.S. Department of Energy study, has raised questions about its effectiveness of this measure.
In short, the discussion on what is the best time to adopt continues to be at the center of public and scientific debate. In the meantime we remind you that we are about to return to standard timewhich will happen at 3.00 in the morning on October 27, when the clocks will go back one hour.