Health Risks from Daylight Saving Time Shift

As clocks spring forward one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, most Americans will lose a precious hour of sleep, a shift that medical experts warn can trigger immediate health risks including heart attacks, strokes and traffic accidents. The change to daylight saving time affects the vast majority of the United States, excluding Arizona and Hawaii, and disrupts the body's natural circadian rhythm at a time when many already struggle with chronic sleep deprivation.

Health professionals emphasize that even this small adjustment can exacerbate underlying vulnerabilities. Dr. Christopher Valentine, a family medicine doctor with Optum in Utah and Idaho, noted that the disruption often leads to a short-term spike in cardiovascular events and crashes, particularly on the following Monday. "There is an increase in the incidence," Valentine said. "When we suddenly shake up our regular circadian rhythm, if someone is already on the edge in terms of their cardiovascular risk, that shift can just push them over." Studies support these concerns: research from a Michigan hospital, cited by the American Heart Association, found heart attacks rising 24 percent on the Monday after the switch, while...