When daylight saving time begins each March, many people feel the effects of losing an hour of sleep. Abbas Kang, a family nurse practitioner with Capital Area Pulmonary Associates who works in conjunction with McLaren Greater Lansing Sleep and Alertness Center, sees patients dealing with the fallout in the form of fatigue, worsened sleep issues and related health concerns.
Kang explained that poor sleep from the time shift — or unhealthy habits year-round — can contribute to serious conditions.
"Unhealthy sleep habits, it can cause a number of things like heart disease, high blood pressure and even stroke over time, also irregular heart rhythms," Kang said. "Some other metabolic disorders that can occur are obesity, diabetes, those types of things."
Research, including studies cited by the American Heart Association, has shown spikes in heart attacks in the days after the spring time change — with one Michigan-based analysis finding a 24% increase on the following Monday. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says roughly 55% of Americans feel tired after we spring the clocks forward.
Kang noted the link between disrupted sleep and metabolic problems.
"With our sleep patterns getting disturbed, we need that sleep time to help our bodies to metabolize and digest food throughout the night," he said. "If we're not able to get proper sleep, then this affects us throughout the day. So our eating schedules get thrown off. We're snacking, munching a lot more, and we're just not able to properly process our foods."
The body typically takes up to a week to adjust to the new schedule, Kang said, but preparation helps.
"We recommend that people try to adjust their sleep schedules at least a week before the time change," he advised. "You can adjust your sleep schedules by maybe going to bed 15 to 30 minutes a little bit earlier and then waking up same same thing 15 to 30 minutes earlier."
For those struggling with daytime tiredness after the change, Kang emphasized non-medication strategies.
"Practicing good sleep hygiene is number one key," he said. This includes "avoiding caffeine at least six hours before bedtime, practicing to get to bed at a set time, waking up at a set time, and then avoiding screens, phones, tablets before bed, keeping things kind of low stimulating and only reserving the bed for sleep."
Kang added that caffeine's effects linger: "Caffeine is a stimulant, and if you consume it right up until bedtime, it's going to keep you awake. So these are things that we have to kind of limit on our body, especially towards the mid afternoon and even evening time."
Exercise also plays a key role in better sleep and reducing risks like obstructive sleep apnea, which ties closely to obesity and strains the heart.
"Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea go hand in hand," Kang said. "If you have a higher BMI, if you're overweight, you're gonna obstruct a lot more, because you have this extra excess of fat around your neck and that can obstruct your airway. So if you're living a healthy lifestyle, the chances of you having obstructive sleep apnea would be much lower."
Interestingly, Kang observed that people often adjust better to "springing forward" than "falling back."
"I think we adjust to probably the spring forward a lot better, because we're getting more sunlight, and everyone's excited for warmer weather," he said, noting Michigan's long winters make the extra evening light welcome.
For persistent issues beyond the time change — such as chronic daytime tiredness or trouble sleeping — Kang recommends starting with a primary care provider.
"If you're having chronic sleep issues, I would recommend to definitely talk to your primary care about it," he said. "And if your primary care provider is able to help you, that's excellent. But if it's kind of something that they need to refer you forward to us, then we would be more than glad to help you figure out what's causing this."
Daytime sleepiness can impair safety, too, including behind the wheel. Kang highlighted assessments at sleep centers to screen for excessive tiredness through surveys on dozing risks during daily activities.
As the time change approaches each year, experts like Kang urge proactive steps to protect sleep and health.