Daylight Saving Time Is Miserable. But The Fix Isn't What You Think.
Twice-a-year time changes carry health costs. But picking a side doesn't fix that.
This past Sunday, I had a 6:00 am flight. That’s right — the morning after spring forward.
To make it, I had to get up at 3:15 am.
Which my body read as 2:15 am.
The worst part wasn’t the alarm. It was waking our teenager. Getting him up at 7:00 am for school is hard. Getting him up at 3:15 am on spring forward is something else entirely.
That misery has a name: social jetlag. And the data isn’t subtle.
Spring forward — the March clock shift — affects more than your sleep. It affects your heart, your driving, and apparently your generosity.
One lost hour. Less kind. Less generous. More heart attacks. More crashes. More moody.
Fall back — the November clock shift — is almost the opposite.
Fewer deaths. Fewer workplace accidents. Fewer sleep issues. Less anxiety. Less depression.
Teenagers have it worst. Their biology is already fighting the clock harder than almost anyone else’s. Research shows 71% experience moderate to severe social jetlag in a normal week. Spring forward just makes it worse.
My son didn’t stand a chance.
What’s the solution?
Stopping the twice-yearly change would reduce the acute harms. But lock in the wrong permanent time and you risk something else — chronic circadian misalignment (your body clock stuck in the wrong gear year-round).
Most researchers agree: stop switching. The debate is which time to keep — not whether to keep changing.
And don’t fly early when you spring forward. Especially with your teenager.
A quick note before you go.
I’ve made a change to the paid tier. I’ve been thinking about this for a while and this better fits what you actually came here for — less noise, more signal.
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Field Notes drops on the last Thursday of every month. It’s where I pull together useful research and observations in health research.
Drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts.
Facts, no fluff, and thanks for being here - Heather
I agree that the real problem is the twice-yearly clock switch. It’s surprising to think that just 60 minutes can affect so many parts of daily life. As a 20-year-old student-athlete, it feels even more relevant. Athletes may be especially impacted because performance, reaction time, and recovery are closely tied to sleep quality. My lift and nutrition coach, athletic trainer, and head coach constantly emphasize that sleep is a top priority. Even small shifts in sleep patterns can affect focus and coordination, increasing the risk of mistakes or injury during training or competition.
I've often complained that whoever the powers that be are should just pick a time and leave it alone. For heaven’s sake, have a little humanity, I think.
You do raise an interesting question though: which of the two times is actually better for us? Once again life proves it isn’t always so simple. So thank you for helping make some of these choices a little easier by helping us understand the science behind our health and wellbeing.