Stop the Clock for Sleep Health- Time to Call Time on the Clock Change.

Time to call time on the clock change?

This weeks blog is from our very own Caroline Horton Professor of Sleep and Cognition, Linconshire Bishop University, Co-Director of the Lincoln Sleep Research Centre; Trustee and Treasurer of British Sleep Society, and valued steering group member of The Lincolnshire Sleep Hub.

Are we moving forwards or backwards? Scientists call to stop the clock changes in favour of our sleep health. But what can we do now?

In Lincolnshire we get to enjoy phenomenally beautiful sunrises at this time of year, when the sun rises at around 7.17am (as of 8th October). Given the latitude and orientation of the UK, we notice relatively drastic seasonal changes, including the changes in sunrise and sunset times. We are also preparing for the next “fall backwards”, when we turn our clocks back one hour to revert back to British Standard Time, which will happen on October 26th (2025). The UK has observed this clock changing practice for 109 years to date (since 1916) so the clock-changing routine is well engrained in our annual habits.

As Dr Simon Durrant outlined in a blog post here last year  

We at the British Sleep Society hold the position that the clock changes create disruption to our circadian cycles, and that we should maintain a consistent time. We also recommend that that best time is the time we revert our clocks to in Winter, i.e. British Standard Time. This may sound strange, as when we fall backwards we notice the darker evenings however, we notice that because we had artificially put the clocks forward earlier in the year and as Winter advances, we experience shorter days anyway.

We don’t need to maximise daylight by changing the clocks in the Spring/Summer because we will naturally experience more sunlight and longer days at that time of year already. Here I will share some information about the nature of the changes on our circadian rhythms and individual routines, offer some tips to lessen the negative impacts, and share our – and the British Sleep Society’s – views on the ideal scenario for changing clocks in the future.

There are two important points to remember regarding our exposure to natural light: Firstly, accessing sunlight in the morning is a powerful natural cue to our brain and body that it is daytime and therefore time to wake up. If this occurs in the morning, we can be aligned with natural daylight, wake up well and carry out our daily tasks, feeling tired at the end of the day when it turns dark. The more we interfere with that rhythm through artificial light or sleeping in the daytime, the more our bodies and brains become confused.

Secondly, although the changing clocks are confusing, solar time (i.e. the rising of the sun) remains constant – albeit with natural seasonal variations. We tend to move our schedules around the clock time, rather than the more stable solar time. So if we want to prepare for the jarring impending clock changes, we may wish to pay attention to how we live and behave in relation to the solar time, for some more consistency.

 

Evidence shows that the Spring clock changes can have immediate negative impact on our health.

Mainly in terms of increased risk of cardiovascular events (including heart attacks and stroke) but also an increased risk of road traffic accidents.
There is a demonstrable negative impact on mood, which isn’t always visible on the first day of the clock changes, as they take place on a Sunday where many people’s routines are more flexible, but evidence shows that mood changes are noticeable two to three days following the changes. There is a significant increase in missed hospital appointments following the clock changes, which is especially pronounced in the Spring, as well as increases in suicide rates and viruses.

These are highly likely the result of shorter sleep duration and circadian misalignment. So it is rather strange that the practise continues, when we know all this! More promisingly, knowing about the powerful effect of sunlight on regulating our circadian rhythms, including our sleep, can help us cope with the changes while we are living with the clock changes. Ideally, we should allow our bodies to respond to the natural and powerful sunlight cues, and try to resist other influences, such as bright blue lights from screens such as phones, tablets and TVs.

We can also think about our schedules ahead of the impending clock changes so any adjustments can be made over time, such as the next two weeks, rather than needing to make sudden behavioural changes on October 26th. This is perhaps more important in Spring when the clocks move forwards, but the principle holds true in Autumn also: we should aim for consistent schedules where possible and maximise our opportunities for exposure to sunlight when we wake up rather than at the end of the day when we need to be preparing for sleep. Such planning could lessen the seemingly shocking effects of those changes in due course, even though relishing in the extra hour in bed may seem like a short-term win!

We likely to have to continue living with the practise of changing our clocks for the foreseeable future, but we can plan for those changes by

• Lessening their harsh impact on our routines
• Embrace the morning sunlight
• Recognise the sleep-inducing cues of darkness and coolness at the end of the day.
• We have evolved to respond efficiently to these natural cues, so let’s welcome them for optimal sleep.

Furthermore, we get to enjoy the fantastic colourful skies across Lincolnshire, as a lure to get up and enjoy the daylight ahead.

The British Sleep Society (BSS) has advocated for the abolition of the twice-yearly clock changes in the UK and the restoration of permanent Standard Time (Greenwich Mean Time or GMT). The recommendation is based on scientific evidence highlighting the adverse effects of the clock change and Daylight Saving Time (DST) on sleep and circadian health.

 

The BSS emphasises that sleep is central to health and well-being and the enforced changes of clock time to Daylight Saving Time can interfere negatively with sleep regulation.

The call is made in a position statement published in the Journal of Sleep Research. It is co-authored by researchers at the Universities of Strathclyde, Surrey, Edinburgh, Warwick, Lincoln, Imperial College London, Lincoln Bishop University, King’s College London, and Northumbria University.

You can read the full statement here: