The benefits of brightness
According to the doctor, it is important to differentiate between the immediate effects of the time change and the long-term effects. “Losing an hour of sleep abruptly may not seem so consequential. However, this change causes stress for the body,” she asserts.
“The wake-up time remains constrained by work, for example. While the bedtime, we will continue to be accustomed to sleeping later,” explains Mélanie Strauss. The lack of brightness also plays an important role. And the impact is greater in spring than in autumn.
“The time change probably comes too early since it is starting to get light when we wake up. And the morning light is very important for the body,” emphasizes the specialist. The eye plays a useful role in capturing light and sending a wake-up signal to the brain. This phenomenon would help synchronize and activate the entire body including genes, the hormonal system, vigilance, and states of wakefulness and sleep. “Light is therefore a very important triggering element, and missing it is more difficult to cope with,” she adds.
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Some limitations in studies
Some studies have even shown that the risk of accidents is higher during this time change. “The fact that it is darker in the morning and that we lack sleep can be a factor in accidents, especially cardiovascular ones,” warns Mélanie Strauss. However, the neurologist points out that the studies are quite limited. “Some elements highlight the benefits of seasonal time change, but others show the disadvantages,” emphasizes the doctor. “The immediate effects of losing an hour of sleep are not ideal. But the studies remain less clear when observing the long-term effects, for example when we are in summer,” she adds.
Some research has, however, revealed a risk of depression when the rhythm is shifted towards the evening, or signs of mood disorders.
“In a more general sense, being out of sync with your biological clock, like people who work only in the evening or even at night, has very clear effects on the cardiovascular system, obesity, heart disorders, diabetes, cancer, or mood disorders,” insists the doctor.
But the time change still has some benefits. It was originally thought to lengthen the sunlight hours in the evening, which allows for longer evenings to promote physical activities and outings. “Long summer evenings are generally appreciated by the population,” affirms the neurologist.
1. Start sleeping earlier
To best accommodate this time change, Melanie Strauss recommends starting to shift, in the days leading up to March 28, 15 minutes earlier bedtime. “Anticipating the change in the most gradual way is much gentler on the body,” advises the neurologist.
2. Expose yourself to natural light
She also recommends exposing yourself to natural light as much as possible during the day, and avoiding screens after the evening meal, for example.
