Should We Stop Putting the Clocks Back?

Should We Stop Putting the Clocks Back?

It is hard to say. Turning the clock back has advantages and disadvantages. When clocks are turned back, mornings become brighter and evenings darker. Research shows brighter mornings help with seasonal affective disorder and depression. For workers, this translates to increased productivity. Darker evenings are associated with increased accidents. That is why people against turning the clocks back strongly recommend Daylight Saving Time or the British Summer Time. There are also claims that turning the clocks back can disrupt the internal clock or the circadian rhythm. When your sleep-wake cycle is out of balance, you are more likely to experience trouble focusing and reduced memory. This can lead to accidents and reduced efficiency. However, some people believe the brain can adapt to clock changes quickly; thus, the sleep-wake circle might not be affected.

Charlotte Cremers
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MS, University of Tartu
Sleep specialist

Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.

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