Article at a Glance:
“In the spring, when we lose one hour of sleep, we see a subsequent 24% increase in heart attacks. In the fall, when we gain an hour of sleep, we see a 21% decrease in heart attacks. That’s how fragile your body is to even just the smallest changes in your hours of sleep.” – Professor Walker
Research has also shown that the sleep deprivation people experience – when DST begins in the Spring and ends in the Fall – results in an increase of fatal accidents. More specifically, when people lose an hour of sleep in the Spring, they are driving while tired and are more likely to get into an accident. In the Fall, people tend to take advantage of having an extra hour available to them; it’s not uncommon to stay out later into the night and/or engage in drinking alcohol — both of which can contribute to a greater likelihood of getting into an accident.
*This is one of the many reasons why we are so passionate about helping people take more control of the light in their environment — so that they can also get better sleep at night. Read: This is Your Brain on TrueDark Twilights Glasses.