Daylight Saving Time: Health Impacts and Benefits of Standard Time

The time change affects health, with daylight saving time linked to increased cardiac events and mental disorders. Research shows that the transition to daylight saving time disrupts circadian rhythms, affecting melatonin production and sleep quality.

Studies highlight that the time change in spring can increase the risk of heart attacks by 4%. Additionally, it is associated with mood deterioration, increased traffic accidents, and sleep problems.

Returning to standard time, although offering an extra hour of sleep, does not fully compensate for the negative effects of daylight saving time. While some studies show benefits for health and well-being from standard time, others link its return to an increased risk of depressive episodes.

Despite the costs to health and the economy, the abolition of the time change has not progressed at the European level.