Standard time may be healthier
By: John Schieszer
Switching permanently to either standard time or daylight-saving time would disadvantage either early risers or night owls, according to experts. The current system provides each group with benefits for half the year. Now, the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time is calling for change. The group contends abolishing seasonal time changes and adopting permanent standard time, follows science and prioritizes public health, safety, and efficiency.
A survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) found that half (50 percent) of Americans support legislation to eliminate seasonal time changes, while only one-fourth (26 percent) are opposed. Currently, more than 60 percent of countries around the world follow standard time all year. Most of the United States shifts between standard time and daylight-saving time each year.
“The switch to daylight saving time in the spring may seem harmless, but the reality is far more complicated,” said Jay Pea, co-chair of the coalition and president of Save Standard Time. “It disrupts our body clocks, affects our sleep quality, and increases risk of avoidable health and safety incidents, such as motor vehicle accidents, cardiovascular events, and even workplace errors in the days following the time change. Adopting permanent standard time, on the other hand, offers a better solution for year-round well-being.”
Data shows that the sudden change from standard time to daylight saving time in March is associated with significant public health and safety risks.
Why standard time may be the healthier choice
Standard time aligns more closely with our body’s natural circadian rhythms, which regulate sleep-wake cycles. It offers more sunlight in the morning, helping people wake up and feel more alert, while the evenings gradually become dark earlier, signaling to our bodies that it’s time to wind down. This natural alignment supports more restful and consistent sleep. In fact, some studies suggest that the body clock does not adjust to daylight saving time even after a few months.
Beyond just the schedule difficulties, the American Heart Association (AMA) reports that there are marked increases in heart attacks and strokes in the days following this time change every year. The AMA has come out in favor of adopting standard time permanently.
John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute.
Spring Covid booster advised
Covid has settled into a pattern of surging during the winter and the summer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For that reason, CDC now recommends that adults aged 65 and older get a second dose of the latest Covid-19 vaccine in the spring. The protection from the shot you got in the fall may have waned. The shots don’t cost most people anything out of pocket.
Home tests
Sleep apnea. Until recently, if you were concerned about whether you have sleep apnea, you had to spend the night in a sleep lab, hooked up to an array of sensors. Now with new technology, you can conduct a basic sleep test in your own bed.
You need a prescription for a home sleep test, which you can pick up from your doctor’s office or you can order online after meeting with a company-affiliated doctor by telemedicine.
The test involves wearing a few small sensors overnight while a newer type is worn on the wrist, like a watch.
While it’s not as detailed or as accurate as an in-lab sleep study, experts say a high-quality home sleep test yields fairly reliable results. It’s not for everyone; people with serious chronic conditions will need additional data from an in-lab study. But for people who don’t have serious chronic conditions, a home sleep test can be a game changer. It’s cost-effective and more comfortable than an in-lab study.
Online hearing tests
These come in two forms: a questionnaire or listening to a variety of sounds and words through headphones. Most online hearing tests are free and offered at the website of a health insurance company or a hearing aid maker.
The tests are useful for monitoring your hearing from time to time. They can help detect mild, moderate or severe hearing loss; identify a particular pitch range that might be difficult for you; or identify hearing differences in one ear compared to another.
Depending on the results, an over-the-counter hearing aid may be the next step. However, if results are inconclusive, suggest asymmetry between the ears or don’t pick up on hearing loss you perceive, then a comprehensive hearing test by an audiologist is recommended.
Nevertheless, an online hearing test gets the process started for many people.
