8 Negative Health Effects Caused By Daylight Saving Time

When Is Daylight Saving Time In 2026?

If you haven't already heard the news, we turn our clocks back an hour early this year at the earliest legal date possible. Daylight Saving Time can legally start on the second Sunday of March each year, and thanks to how the calendar is falling this year, we'll set our clocks ahead an hour on March 8th.

Although losing that hour of sleep is a real bummer, gaining all of that sunlight in the evening is totally worth it. In my opinion, we should just stay in Daylight Saving Time year-round, then we wouldn't even have to worry about time changes.

Daylight Saving Time Comes With Some Severe Health Risks

As exciting as the prospect of longer days can be, Daylight Saving Time and losing that hour of sleep can have some very real consequences to your health. Losing that hour severely impacts your circadian rhythm, which is your body's natural 24-hour clock. When that clock, or cycle, is interrupted by something like a time change and a lack of sleep, it can have real health consequences that could be risky.

For example, researchers have found that after we lose an hour of sleep, we see an increase in car accidents. Sure, it's mainly because people are just drowsy and not as alert because their sleep schedule got a little messed up, but it's still something serious you want to look out for.

Get our free mobile app

It's not just car accidents you have to worry about; hospital visits, disease, and other ailments usually increase after Daylight Saving Time starts up each spring. The easiest way to prevent any major issues is, of course, by taking the time now to prep your body for the change, as well as regular visits to your primary care physician.