Daylight saving time can have negative health effects
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Most of the U.S. will lose an hour of sleep over the weekend, as we spring forward to begin daylight saving time. That means it will stay dark later in the morning for the next several months.
Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 12, but some sleep experts say can have negative effects on health.
To cope with the time change, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends getting at least seven hours of sleep per night before and after you adjust the clocks.
The group also recommends adjusting bedtime and wake times beginning a few nights before the time change, shifting 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night.
You could also set clocks ahead one hour in the early evening on Saturday and then go to bed at your normal bedtime that evening.
Getting outside for early morning sunlight the week after the time change can also help your internal clock adjust.
The AASM wants seasonal time changes to be eliminated and favors permanent standard time, citing increasing evidence of increased medical errors, motor vehicle accidents, hospital admissions and other problems.
The springtime change can be especially tough for children.
In one study, teens lost about 30 minutes of shut-eye a night. They had slower reaction times and attention problems after the time change.
The Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act last year, which would implement permanent daylight saving time in the U.S.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine opposes the bill and is urging congress to support permanent Standard Time.
