According to scientific papers, in the first days after the clock change, there is an increase in the number of traffic accidents by about 6%, and the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, increases by almost a quarter. Experts at the Max Planck Institute believe that such seasonal time changes create an additional burden on the body and have little reason to be maintained.
At the heart of the problem are circadian rhythms – internal biological clocks that regulate sleep, energy levels, metabolism and organ function. Central to this process is the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the brain, which synchronizes with the natural light cycle. However, when time is translated, the body is forced to reorganize, which causes the effect of the so-called “social jetlag”.
This phenomenon manifests itself in the form of fatigue, reduced concentration and general discomfort, similar to the reaction to the change of time zones. According to experts, it can take from a few days to almost a week to adapt.
If biological rhythms are regularly disrupted, more serious consequences can occur, including inflammatory processes, fluctuations in blood sugar levels and increased stress on the cardiovascular system.
People with pre-existing health problems such as sleep disorders, depression, neurodegenerative diseases, and patients with cardiovascular risks are most vulnerable. It is in the morning hours, when the body is under additional stress, that acute conditions are more often recorded.
Experts agree that abandoning seasonal time translation could reduce these risks. As an alternative, it is proposed to fix a permanent standard time, which is more in line with natural biological cycles.
In the meantime, while the practice of changing the clocks is still practiced in many countries, experts recommend minimizing the workload during the adaptation period: observe the sleep schedule, limit stimulants and gradually adjust the daily routine.
