Two weekends a year, much of the world takes advantage of a schedule change to make better use of daylight hours, a very old idea, first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1874, with the aim of reducing the consumption of candles and lamps.
Despite this, schedule changes were not regulated until 1974 in most Western countries.
- Although some experts still discuss the effectiveness of the time change.
- This custom is already so ingrained in our lives that it would be difficult to stop doing so overnight.
- Yet do we know how the time change affects our bodies?In this article we tell you what science says.
According to experts, our body does not adapt very well to changes over time. When do we lose? Or do we win? One hour, our circadian rhythm changes, so several negative effects can occur. These changes in circadian rhythm occur mainly when we travel to another time zone, but a one-hour change could be considered equivalent to moving a time zone east (in the case of an hour before) or west (in the case of delay).
However, it has been found that our circadian rhythm may also be altered by other factors, such as sleeping later on weekends or the absence of a regular sleep cycle, so while the effect of the time change may be noticeable, it is not a problem. isolated problem.
Some of the most important consequences of changing time in our body are:
Let’s see each of them
One of the most surprising studies on the time lag was conducted in 1999 by John Hopkins of Stanford University, which found that the probability of a traffic accident increased by 5% the Monday following the start of the time change.
Another study funded by the University of Colorado found the results even more worrying, with an increase of up to 17%. Although the moment doesn’t seem to have anything to do with accidents, the data doesn’t lie. But why, does this increase occur?
The increase in the number of traffic accidents after a schedule change could be explained by a hormone called melatonin, this hormone that regulates sleep cycles and contributes greatly to feeling more alert in the morning, if we suddenly change our sleep patterns, we will feel more tired and less attentive during the day.
Similarly, a study conducted by the University of Alabama in 2012 suggested that the number of heart attacks increased within three days of the time lag. Other studies have also shown a slight increase in the number of strokes.
What causes these phenomena? Apparently, losing an hour of sleep causes all kinds of problems in our body: increased cortisol, loss of immune system efficiency and feeling less energy, although these problems are not dangerous to the general population, in the case of a person with prior predisposition. , could trigger a heart attack or stroke.
Finally, some studies show that the time change may be related to a seasonal affective disorder, this disorder is related to lack of sun exposure, which can affect both our physical and mental health.
When the time changes, you can also change the number of hours of sun exposure, in addition, the effects of the time changes are often confused with those of the temperature increase, in any case it is always a change that we have to adapt to.