We are sleep experts from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine – here to answer all of your questions about the health and safety risks associated with daylight saving time and healthy sleep tips to combat the transition. Ask us anything!

Dr. Abby Strang here, I am a board-certified pediatric sleep medicine specialist and pulmonologist at Nemours Children’s Health and member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Public Safety Committee. You can find my full bio here. View my proof photo here: https://imgur.com/a/ogJVd9i

Daylight saving time will begin on Sunday, March 12, when most of the U.S. will ‘spring forward’ to daylight time and lose an hour of sleep. This disruptive time change is dangerous and raises many health and accident risks. Based on evidence, it is the position of the AASM that year-round standard time aligns best with human circadian biology and is the best option for our health and well-being.

I am joined by my fellow AASM sleep experts for this IAm/AMA, including the below members. Ask us anything from 8 to 10 p.m. ET tonight:

· Dr. Shannon Sullivan: https://www.reddit.com/user/SomnumBene

· Dr. Amita Goyal: https://www.reddit.com/user/AmitaGoyalMD

· Dr. Raj Bhui: https://www.reddit.com/user/SnoozeMD/

· Dr. Adeel Rishi: https://www.reddit.com/user/MedPedsChief

We are here to answer your questions about seasonal time changes and how to adjust to daylight saving time by achieving healthy sleep!

UPDATE: Our daylight saving time AMA has come to an end. Thank you for all of the insightful questions about sleep and daylight saving time! You are welcome to continue chiming in with more questions and we will respond to as many comments as we can. Thank you to all who joined us.

Comments: 118 • Responses: 5  • Date: 

blondeandbuddafull9 karma

Is “broken” sleep hard on the body/psyche? For example routinely sleeping three hours, up for four hours, then sleeping another four hours. Or does it count as a good seven hours sleep a night?

AbbyStrangMD2 karma

Hi blondeandbuddafull, if you are experiencing sleep that is broken or nonrestorative on a regular basis, consider talking with your medical provider about your sleep. Here are some resources that may be helpful:

https://sleepisgoodmedicine.com/talk-to-your-doctor/

TylerJWhit7 karma

Any advice for new parents?

AbbyStrangMD4 karma

Tylerwit, congratulations! Time change can be challenging for both children and adults. In general, I recommend trying to slowly shift your child’s schedule earlier each night before springing forward, and trying to ensure adequate sleep in the week before and after the time change. Try to get plenty of sunshine in the morning and if the weather permits, go for a walk outside in the morning.

Slommyhouse6 karma

Why do I sometimes wake up around 3am more awake than my actual wake time around 6am (very tired)?

AbbyStrangMD-3 karma

Hi Slommyhouse, there are many reasons for waking during the night and feeling that your sleep is nonrestorative or feeling tired in the morning. Consider talking to your medical providers about sleep concerns, and see additional resources below:

https://sleepisgoodmedicine.com/talk-to-your-doctor/

snap8022 karma

Multi part question:

Will you ever give up on standard time? How let down would you feel if the US adopts daylight time? How concerned are you that Congress would just run around and desert measures to go to year round standard time? Do you cry when the time changes to daylight savings? How long until we can truly say goodbye to springing forward? Is daylight savings just a lie that hurts us?

AbbyStrangMD2 karma

Hi snap802, for more detailed information, here is a link to the AASM position statement:https://sleepeducation.org/resources/daylight-saving-time/

In addition to AASM, many other health organizations feel the same way:

American Medical Association https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-calls-permanent-standard-time

National Sleep Foundation

https://www.thensf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/NSF-Position-on-Permanent-Standard-Time_3.22.2021.pdf

Sleep Research Society

https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/45/12/zsac236/6717940

BrilliantPace74591 karma

Why do we change our time twice a year anyways? What's the benefit of keeping one time yearround?

AbbyStrangMD3 karma

Great questions, BrilliantPace7459. Since 1966, all states in the U.S. were standardized to change clocks twice yearly to maintain consistency. The science is clear that Daylight Saving Time has a negative impact on our health because it is misaligned with our body’s natural circadian rhythm. Changing clocks and especially “springing forward” has many health risks including increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, cardiovascular accidents, stroke, and medical errors. For this reason, the AASM advocates for permanent standard time.