Brace yourselves for a shorter weekend. This Sunday, most of the nation will “spring forward” for Daylight Saving Time, but health experts warn the lost hour is more than just an inconvenience—it’s a public health risk.
Per the Press Democrat, Dr. Nirupam Singh, a sleep specialist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa, says the shift exacerbates an existing “sleep deprivation crisis” for 85 million Americans. The consequences are immediate: traffic accidents typically spike by 6% in the week following the time change. Singh likens drowsy driving to driving drunk, noting that lack of sleep is tied to heart disease, stroke, and depression.
To ease the transition, experts recommend shifting your bedtime earlier by 15-minute increments and seeking out bright morning light on Sunday to reset your internal clock. Dr. Singh also suggests a “digital sunset” by turning off Wi-Fi or screens an hour before bed to help the body adjust.