INDIANAPOLIS — Doctors are urging people to prepare for the upcoming time change as Daylight Saving Time approaches. On Sunday, March 12th at 2 a.m., clocks will move forward by an hour, causing people to lose an hour of sleep. To manage this loss, Dr. Praveen Vohra, Director of the Sleep Center at Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center, recommended gradually adjusting sleep schedules by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night this week.
Dr. Vohra emphasizes the importance of adjusting gradually, as a lack of sleep can lead to negative impacts on health, such as an increased risk of heart disease and mood disorders. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, traffic crashes increase by around 8% on the Monday after Daylight Saving Time starts due to the loss of sleep.
Adjusting to Daylight Saving Time can be challenging for children and can lead to a lack of concentration for many people. While some people can adjust to the time change quickly, others may take several weeks to get used to it.
Last year, the Senate passed the “Sunshine Protection Act of 2021,” which aimed to make Daylight Saving Time the official standard time and eliminate the practice of ‘falling back’ altogether. However, the bill was not voted on by the House. Similar bills were reintroduced in both the Senate and the House last week.
As the bills await approval, it is recommended that people start going to bed a little earlier this week to help their bodies adjust to the upcoming time change.
