Can one hour’s less sleep make a difference to your health?

In geographies that observe daylight savings, the clock’s either move forward or backward by one hour twice a year, effectively kick-starting a live experiment into whether small time-changes can impact our natural circadian rhythms or “body clock”.

Today in Sydney the clocks went forward by one hour which meant most of us had one hour’s less sleep. As human bodies use daylight as their time cue, this may impact natural circadian rhythms for a day or two. How much of an effect this has on your body will depend on your overall health and current sleep patterns and is likely to have a greater impact on those who are already “short sleepers”.

By now the restorative effect of a good night’s sleep is well known. We also know that sleep is needed to perform at our best both physically and mentally, so it interesting to observe how sensitive our bodies are to these small time-changes.

Research from the US has examined the impact of sleep loss and the subsequent behaviour changes that occur when clocks shift for daylight savings. This have demonstrated that this time-change significantly affects the number of fatal traffic accidents, and according to Professor Matthew Walker author of Why We Sleep there is also a 24% spike in heart attack events around the country. Who would have thought that one hour less sleep could trigger such dramatic physiological changes?

The good news for most of us is that our circadian rhythms are likely to reset within a day of the clocks’ changing, and any effects are unlikely to linger.   But for those who know they struggle to sleep or are light sleepers it makes sense to be extra vigilant about “good sleep hygiene” around daylight savings.  Simple steps such as maximising exposure to natural light (ideally in the morning), exercising, maintaining a regular sleep routine, minimising screen time, alcohol and coffee before bed will all help to optimise your sleep efficacy.   Bon nuit as they say in France!

Duncan Young

Originally published on LinkedIn October, 2018