Time change could cause health issues
Posted March 12, 2012 9:01 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Are you feeling tired, Monday, because of the switch to Daylight Saving Time?
Studies found you’re also more likely to get into a car accident or have a heart attack.
According to a 1998 study from the University of British Columbia, the time change could increase your risk of being in a car crash by 17 per cent due to sleep deprivation.
The study also found no significant reduction in accidents in the fall when clocks are set back an hour.
Meanwhile, a researcher at the University of Alabama said there’s a 10 per cent increase of heart attack risk in the two days after the time change.
Dr. Young said sleep deprivation, the body’s circadian clock and immune responses all likely play a role.
He said sleep deprivation can alter the body’s responses, including inflammatory response, which can contribute to a heart attack.
