Daylight saving time: Awakening the debate around time change and health risks

With clocks set to ‘spring ahead’ at 2 a.m. Sunday, one expert warns against the health risks associated with time change. (CTV/Callum Smith)

You might feel a bit more tired than usual when you go back to work or school on Monday – and if so, you won’t be alone. With clocks moving an hour ahead at 2 a.m. Sunday, the age-old debate about time change has risen once again.

There are legitimate health risks with the status quo in the Maritimes, says clinical psychologist Dr. Sheila Garland.

“Just that hour difference, the hour loss of sleep, has been associated with a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes, but also workplace accidents, and car accidents,” says the psychology and oncology professor at Memorial University.

That’s due to a combination of an hour less of sleep – and not having as much daylight in the morning when we ‘spring ahead.’

“We have [daylight saving time], we have to deal with it,” says Catherine Thibeault.

She, along with many others, spoke to CTV News outside a library in Halifax.

“It doesn’t worry me,” she says. “I think if we were to go back to standard time all the time, it would be fine.”

And in fact, we could change course.

“The last time the Atlantic premiers met, we weren’t all on the same page,” said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston on Thursday. “There’s a new, or will be, a new group of premiers, so we’ll see.”

But similar to discussions back in 2022, Houston says in order to spark change, a unified approach is necessary.

“I won’t do it alone. We would need the other provinces — and certainly at least our neighbouring provinces — to move together on that but I would be in favour of doing away with the time changes, but we need everyone on that page.”

Though there’s certainly support for the status quo.

“I love it, I love daylight saving time because the days are longer and nights are longer,” says Arlene Anderson. “Being a senior citizen, I don’t like to go out after dark, so, it makes it better for me.”

“I actually like it, I like the longer evening, so I really appreciate that,” says Nitin Jain. “But it does mess up the cycle a little bit.”

He’s right. It does mess with our cycle, and routine.

“What’s really more important is the daylight in the morning,” says Garland. “That’s what anchors our circadian rhythm. It promotes energy levels. It promotes alertness.”

Children and seniors are particularly exposed to some impacts of time change, she says.

“People who have compromised physical health conditions – they are also the ones at greater risk,” says Garland. “There’s an increase in admissions to emergency departments around the time of time change.”

While caffeine and energy drinks may feel like they help in the short term, don’t expect they’ll help long-term.

Although not everyone enjoys time change, even when it ‘falls back’ in November.

“It’s a long night shift,” says Zhariel Carbonell. “You’ve just got to know that you’re going to work another extra hour without getting paid.”

“There are other provinces, other states that have done away with it,” says Nick Leonardi. “I think it’s time to just get rid of it altogether.”

Leonardi says that means a unified approach shouldn’t be necessary, and he was pleased to see Liberal MLA Iain Rankin table a bill once again to eliminate daylight saving time on Friday.

The Canadian Sleep Research Consortium Daylight says daylight saving time should in fact be abolished. The holding a ‘Week for Better Sleep’ campaign – and people to sign up and keep a sleep diary for the week.

For now, it appears time change is here to stay in our region, unless others change course too.