LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Daylight saving time. You either love it or hate it, but one thing is for sure it changes your body in some way for everyone.
“Our circadian rhythm is a biological clock, so when you mess that up, you can mess with your body’s functions like your sleep pattern will change a little bit even if it’s just an hour,” said Dr. Foxx, Lexington physician.
Foxx says it can cause more than just fatigue. It can increase blood pressure disrupt your immune system and other cognitive functions.
“After the first few days of daylight saving change, you know you may see an increased risk of stroke and increased risk of a heart attack an increased risk of accidents because you’re not thinking as clearly,” said Foxx.
Daylight saving can also cause distress to children as their routine can be altered. Physicians say it’s best to make small changes leading up and after the time change.
“The good part about daylight saving time it’s there is a little more daylight, so, therefore, you can have the ability to be more active,” said Foxx.
Of course, there is an age-old debate about why we should even keep switching the clocks each year, but there are some benefits to ending the cycle from a medical standpoint.
“From a health standpoint, is probably better off staying on one time. Cause while these problems aren’t great magnitudes, they do have an effect, and if you happen to be the one that has an increased risk of a heart attack, it has a lot of effect on you personally,” said Foxx.
The good news is doctors say that conditions associated with daylight savings can improve in as little as a few days to weeks.
Copyright 2022 WKYT. All rights reserved.