Roxanne Prichard, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of St. Thomas, recently was quoted in a Scientific American article on how switching between standard time and daylight saving time can have negative effects on the human circadian rhythms and bodily health.
From the article:
Winding clocks an hour back this fall, when daylight saving time ends for the year across much of the U.S., might do more than just disrupt sleep: evidence suggests such time changes could damage health in the long run. ...
“That, health-care-wise, is definitely significant,” says neuroscientist Roxanne Prichard of the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, who was not involved in the new research. She adds, however, that the study assumes most people work between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., whereas a 2024 survey found 16 percent of the U.S. population has nonstandard schedules – a factor that should be taken into account in future studies. ...
“A lot of people don’t realize what a big deal it is when we see light and how that impacts our body,” Prichard says. “The data is clear: permanent standard time is the healthier option.”
