'This is the good transition,' sleep expert says as Massachusetts returns to standard time
BOSTON - Starting Sunday, standard time will be in effect, which means we all get one extra hour of sleep this weekend.
It's a happy time as neighbors feel a bit more rested and ready for the colder days ahead.
"This is the good transition. People generally do like this - the transition in the fall - because we get an extra hour in our typical 24-hour day," says Harvard professor and Brigham and Women's sleep expert Rebecca Robbins.
"In the morning, it's very beneficial for all of us to get out into the natural sunlight. A slightly earlier sunset is good because that doesn't cause that squeeze in our sleep. There's also a safety concern. When we have morning light exposure, that keeps our kids safe as they walk to the bus," says Robbins.
But in the spring - when the sun rises and sets later - the change can be detrimental according to Robbins.
"Taking that one hour away from a society that is generally sleep-deprived really puts us very much in the red zone. There's a statistically significant increase in heart attacks, strokes and car accidents. By and large, Americans report across the board that they don't like switching. That one hour is enough to be disruptive," says Robbins.
The Sunshine Protection Act is a federal law in the pipeline that would make U.S. daylight saving time permanent. It's a a popular plan that Robbins says needs to be reconsidered .
"A lot of the arguments that the policymakers were using on the Senate floor were barbecues, were, you know, enjoying later sunsets. They were warm and fuzzy things. That'ss policy counter to our biology and would potentially pose significant public health concerns," says Robbins.
For now, the time changes are still in place, so how can you regulate your body? You're getting an extra hour of sleep, and if you need to take advantage of that, you can go ahead and sleep in, but experts say it's important to remain on your regular sleep schedule.