9 Reasons You Should Be Concerned About The Time Change in the Spring

Spring is here and after a long, cold winter we’re ready. March is when we move our clocks forward one hour giving us longer daylight, and boy, you gotta love that!!!

However, that one hour of sleep can have a huge impact and there are some possible hidden dangers that we should think about.

"Many Americans are sleep deprived and when starting with chronically low levels of sleep, even a small reduction can have serious consequences," said Austin Smith, an economics professor at Miami University's Farmer School of Business in Miami, Ohio.

In a study published in American Economic Journal, Smith noted that over a 10-year period, there was a 6 percent increase in automobile accidents following the time change in the spring resulting in more than 300 deaths.

Daylight Savings Time disrupts your sleep/wake cycle, and many health risks rise during this time.

Higher incidences of heart attacks and strokes
Increased chances of craving fatty foods and overeating
Increase in workplace accidents
More car accidents
Lowered immune system
Loss of productivity
Trouble concentrating
Increased fatigue
Lower work performance

Sandhya Kumar, MD, assistant professor of neurology and medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina says the loss of an hour of sleep can have a significant effect on the body. She went on to say that there is much reason for concern especially when it comes to teenagers because they showed increased sleepiness which not only affected their academic work but they also were more inclined to having a slower reaction time. This could be deadly when it comes to teens behind the wheel of a car.

Losing one hour of sleep can do more than just make you drowsy. It can have serious consequences to your health and your life. It’s important to be aware and take precautions.